Oral Answers to Questions — Coal Industry. – in the House of Commons at on 24 July 1941.
Mr Joseph Batey
, Spennymoor
asked the Minister of Labour the number of miners unemployed in the county of Durham and also in Great Britain on the latest available date?
Mr Ernest Bevin
, Wandsworth Central
I regret that the figures desired are not available for publication.
Mr Joseph Batey
, Spennymoor
Is not that something strange, as we have had these figures hundreds of times? If we have had them before, why cannot we have them now?
Mr Ernest Bevin
, Wandsworth Central
I announced to the House some time ago that owing to the transfer of labour and the movements from one trade into another the publication of figures under separate trades would cease. Since that time I have not published them.
Mr Joseph Batey
, Spennymoor
Are there not thousands of miners unemployed? If there are, why cannot they be found work in the pits?
Mr Ernest Bevin
, Wandsworth Central
There is no reason for any miner who is capable of working not being back at the pit. There are people in the mining areas who are signing on as unemployed miners, but many of them are past working. I have established a committee to investigate the matter to see whether there is anything that can be done.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
