§ 22. Mr. Ron Daviesasked the Secretary of State for Energy how many persons are presently employed in the coal industry; what was the comparable figure for 1979; and what forecasts he has made for the coming year.
§ Mr. David HuntThe number of men on colliery books at 22 November was 121,173 compared to 232,947 in the same week in 1979. Their future manpower requirement is a matter for British Coal; I have made no forecasts for the coming year. The chairman has, however, made clear that the task of major restructuring within the industry is nearly complete.