asked the Secretary for Mines whether he will give the wages cost per ton of coal disposable commercially for each month and for each district since the present mode of regulating wages in the mining industry was established: and will he give the alterations in wages that were made in each district and at each ascertainment?
As regards the first part of the question, the only information available is published in the Quarterly Statistical Summaries Com: mand Papers numbered 1597, 1720, 1726 and 1759, copies of which I am sending to the hon. Member. A similar statement for the quarter ended 30th September, 1922, will be available shortly. The second part of the question involves a long statistical statement, and I will, with my hon. Friend's permission, include it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
The, following is the statement referred to:
| STATEMENT showing for each month from October, 1921, the Percentages payable In excess of the Basis Wage Rates in each District in accordance with the ascertainments prescribed by the Terms of Settlement dated 1st July, 1921. | ||||||||||||||||
Note,—During July, August and September, 1921, Wages were not generally governed by district ascertainments and were augmented by subvention payments. | ||||||||||||||||
| District. | Date when basis rates were fixed. | Minimum percentage additions to the basis wage·rai·es payable under the Terms of Settlement dated 1st July, 1921* | October 1921 | November 1921 | December 1921 | January 1922 | February 1922 | March 1922 | April 1922 | May 1922 | June 1922 | July 1922 | August 1922 | September 1922 | October 1922 | November 1922 |
| 1. | 2. | 3. | 4. | 5. | 6. | 7. | 8. | 9. | 10. | 11. | 12. | 13. | 14. | 15. | 16. | 17. |
| Year. | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | |
| Scotland | 1888 | 110·00 | 246·01 | 141·91 | 136·44 | 132·75 | 129·02 | 110·00 | 113·73 | 110·00 | 110·00 | 110·00 | 110·00 | 110·00 | 110·00 | 110·00 |
| Northumberland | 1879 | 80·00 | 212·93 | 121·19 | 107·35 | 85·76 | 82·66 | 80·00 | 85·15 | 88·40 | 80·00 | 80·00 | 80·00 | 80·00 | 91·38 | 92·23 |
| Durham | 1879 | 89·00 | 197·45 | 142·80 | 119·73 | 93·87 | 89·00 | 89·00 | 89·00 | 90·26 | 89·00 | 90·62 | 89·00 | 89·00 | 89·00 | 94·64 |
| South Wales and Monmouth | 1915 | 28·00 | 79·03 | 28·95 | 28·03 | 28·00 | 28·00 | 28·00 | 28·00 | 28·00 | 28·00 | 28·00 | 28·00 | 28·00 | 28·00 | 28·00 |
| Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Cannock Chase and Warwickshire. | 1911 | 32·00 | 140·19 | 110·55 | 109·54 | 109·86 | 97·06 | 91·23 | 90·37 | 79·71 | 64·43 | 53·78 | 32·00 | 36·19 | 39·01 | 43·31 |
| Lancashire, North Staffordshire and Cheshire. | 1811 | 32·00 | 110·93 | 75·26 | 72·76 | 72·35 | 60·84 | 56·84 | 54·00 | 42·35 | 32·00 | 32·00 | 32·00 | 32·00 | 32·00 | 82·00 |
| North Wales | 1911 | 32·00 | 93·50 | 59·10 | 44·50 | 48·30 | 35·70 | 32·00 | 32·00 | 32·00 | 32·00 | 32·00 | 32·00 | 32·00 | 32·00 | 32·00 |
| South Staffordshire and Salop | 1911 | 32·00 | 78·81 | 52·44 | 33·92 | 32·00 | 32·00 | 32·00 | 32·00 | 32·00 | 32·00 | 32·00 | 32·00 | 32·00 | 32·00 | 32·00 |
| Cumberland | 1911 | 30·00 | 18·13 | 30·00 | 30·00 | 30·00 | 30·00 | 30·00 | 30·00 | 30·00 | 30·00 | 30·00 | 30·00 | 30·00 | 30·00 | 30·00 |
| Bristol— | ||||||||||||||||
| East Bristol and Coalpit Heath— | ||||||||||||||||
| Hewers | 1917 | 21·99 | 79·80 | 31·12 | 21·99 | 25·48 | 24·91 | 24·91 | 27·30 | 21·99 | 21·99 | 21·99 | 21·99 | 21·99 | 21·99 | 21·99 |
| Other Workers | 1917 | 23·99 | 81·47 | 32·79 | 23·99 | 27·15 | 26·91 | 26·91 | 28·97 | 23·99 | 23·99 | 23·99 | 23·99 | 23·99 | 23·99 | 23·99 |
| Ashton Vale— | ||||||||||||||||
| Hewers | 1917 | 20·00 | 83·14 | 34·46 | 26·00 | 28·82 | 28·92 | 28·92 | 30·64 | 26·00 | 26·00 | 26·00 | 26·00 | 26·00 | 26·00 | 26·00 |
| Other Workers | 1917 | 27·99 | 81·80 | 36·12 | 27·99 | 30·45 | 30·91 | 30·91 | 32·30 | 27·99 | 27·99 | 27·99 | 27·99 | 27·99 | 27·99 | 27·99 |
| Forest of Dean | 1912 | 62·00 | 113·91 | 62·00 | 64·33 | 62·00 | 62·00 | 63·15 | 62·00 | 62·00 | 62·00 | 62·00 | 62·00 | 62·00 | 62·00 | 62·00 |
| Somerset— | ||||||||||||||||
| Badttock District | 1918 | 22·00 | 114·60 | 67·28 | 57·58 | 57·61 | 44·05 | 55·78 | 59·40 | 48·04 | 30·33 | 29·81 | 22·00 | 22·00 | 22·00 | 22·00 |
| Newbury District | 1918 | 22·00 | 57·99 | 22·00 | 22·00 | 22·00 | 22·00 | 22·00 | 22·00 | 22·00 | 22·00 | 22·00 | 22·00 | 22·00 | 22·00 | 22·00 |
| Kent | 1911 | 32·00 | 81·08 | 32·00 | 32·00 | 32·00 | 82·00 | 32·00 | 32·00 | 32·00 | 32·00 | 32·00 | 32·00 | 32·00 | 32·00 | 32·00 |
* Under the Terms of Settlement it is provided that in no district shall wages be paid at lower rates than standard wages plus 20 per cent, thereof. "Standard Wages" are defined as "the district basis rates existing on the 31st March, 1921, plus the district percentages payable in July, 1914 (or the equivalents in any district in which there has been a subsequent merging into new standards), plus, in the case of pieceworkers, the percentage additions which were made consequent upon the reduction of hours from eight to seven." The figures in column 3 show the percentage additions which result from applying this proviso in each of the districts. | ||||||||||||||||