Oral Answers to Questions — Coal Mining Industry. – in the House of Commons am ar 7 Rhagfyr 1926.
asked the Secretary for Mines if he can give an estimate of the number of mine workers who are likely to be thrown out of employment as a result of the application of The Coal Mines Act, 1926, under which 66 per cent. of the men have returned to work on an eight-hours day?
No, Sir. The amount of employment will depend mainly upon the demand for coal, which I cannot attempt to prophesy.
Does the right hon. Gentleman now reject the recommendation of the Royal Commission and the reference they made to possible unemployment as a result of the application of the Eight Hours Act?
No, Sir, I do not reject any opinion of the Royal Commission on that point; it depends on the circumstances as they arise.
Is the right hon. Gentleman willing to admit that there will be a large Volume of unemployment as a result of the men working an eight-hour day?
What I am prepared to admit is that the men who have gone back to work are getting very much better wages than they would have got if they had continued to work a seven-hour day.
Is it not the case that the Royal Commission's estimate as to the effect on unemployment was based on the assumption that no more coal would be sold.
Yes, Sir; that is so.