Orders of the Day — Emergency Powers

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 14 February 1972.

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Photo of Mr Trevor Skeet Mr Trevor Skeet , Bedford 12:00, 14 February 1972

Nobody has today mentioned the question of safety cover in the pits and the fact that many pits will not reopen at all. In other words, the rate of closure will be that much faster. Perhaps the output of the mines will be cut from 140 million tons to 109 million. If the pits are not reopened it will mean disaster for the industry.

Many people may say that the safety cover promised by the National Union of Mineworkers should have been forthcoming but that the union leaders have no control over their own workers. That may be so. I can only discuss the arguments, because I am not a miner, although I have been down a pit.—[Interruption.] Oh, yes. We know that the mining lobby on the Opposition side numbers about 30 and we expect some enthusiasm from them, but we on this side, if we do not represent the mining interest certainly represent the public interest, and we are determined to see that that public interest is properly represented in the House.

In a letter in The Times of 28th January, 1972, the Chairman of the National Coal Board, Mr. D. J. Ezra, writing from the board's headquarters at Hobart House, stated: The point is that this roadway and others are now in a very serious condition because remedial help of a kind the N.U.M. leaders instructed their members to give during the strike to keep the pits safe is not being provided. It was stated last night by the Coal Board that 17 coal faces in 14 collieries will not, because of deteriorating conditions, reopen when the strike ends. I cannot understand the psychology displayed here. It is all very well to indulge in industrial strife for higher pay—and the more that can be paid, within the economy, the better it is—but for men to work themselves into unemployment by letting pits fall in and pressures below to increase so that machinery is trapped and can never be recovered, is most extraordinary behaviour.

I have one or two practical suggestions to make. First, if the Minister were to accelerate the introduction of the normal Summer-time hour we could make greater use of available daylight and so reduce the need for electricity.

Again, if the Minister walks down Millbank he will find Government offices full of light. If the Government want the people to make their contribution at this appropriate moment so as to safeguard electricity supplies, Whitehall should set the example.

Before hon. Members representing mining constituencies get beyond themselves, I remind them that although their industry has some 280,000 workers there are 50 million people in the country who would like to see the strike ended, who do not like militancy, and who recognise as the true Legislature this House of Commons and not the National Union of Mineworkers.