asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish a table showing the average number of weekly manshifts including overtime shifts worked by underground coal workers for each month since April 1974; and if he will give the length of the average manshift and calculate therefrom the average hourly earnings for underground coal workers which this represents, taking into account the value of the allowance for free coal.

This is primarily a matter for the National Coal Board, and I have asked the Chairman to reply direct to the hon. Member.