§ 33. Mr. Higginsasked the Secretary of State for Energy how many productivity deals have been made between the Coal Board and the National Union of Miners in the last 10 years; what was the average increase in pay which resulted from them; and what were the corresponding increases in productivity.
§ Mr. EadieSince the introduction of the daywage system, and prior to the present incentive scheme, the only productivity schemes for mineworkers was the national production bonus scheme introduced in March 1975 for one year, which paid bonus on a quarterly basis 287W when national production exceeded a predetermined level. As a consequence of production exceeding the basic quarterly level by 1.2 million tons a bonus of £2.90 per week was paid equally to all workers for the first quarter, but thereafter production was not sufficient to attract any bonus. The scheme lapsed in March 1976.