asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he will exercise his powers under Clause 3 (4) of the Coal Industry Nationalisation Act, 1946, in order to obtain and give to the House of Commons a statement of the total number of non-industrial staff employed by the Coal Board.

No, Sir. Figures showing the number of clerks and salaried persons employed at collieries are normally collected annually, and those, or comparable figures, will continue to be made public in the future.

Am I to understand that that answer is a modification of the right hon. Gentleman's answer last week when he told the House that he had no information on this matter at all?

There is no modification that I can see in the answer which I have just given.