rHIS - D O C U M E N T - IS T H E P R O P E R T - Y O F HIS B R I T A N N I C M A J E S T Y ' S G O V E R N M E N T )
S E C R E T
CP.(50)
­
302 COPY
5TH D E C E M B E R ,
NO.J££
1950
CABINET
COAL E M E R G E N C Y
MEASURES
M e m o r a n d u m b y t h e M i n i s t e r of F u e l a n d P o w e r
M y c o l l e a g u e s w i l l n o d o u b t w i s h t o b e k e p t in t o u c h w i t h t h e
d e v e l o p m e n t s in the c o a l s i t u a t i o n and we s h o u l d , I t h i n k , t a k e s t o c k e a c h
w e e k of t h e p r o g r e s s t h a t i s b e i n g m a d e i n d e a l i n g w i t h t h e m a n y p r o b l e m s
that a r e arising.
THE WINTER
PROBLEM
2.
T h e w i n t e r p r o b l e m i s , a s I h a v e a l r e a d y s t a t e d , o n e of f i n d i n g
a n o t h e r 3 m i l l i o n t o n s of c o a l n e e d e d if o u r s t o c k s t h i s w i n t e r a r e n o t t o
f a l l b e l o w t h e m i n i m u m s a f e t y l e v e l of 9 m i l l i o n t o n s .
The three main
sources are:­
(i)
i m p o r t s of c o a l , f r o m w h i c h , i n v i e w of s h i p p i n g d i f f i c u l t i e s ,
h o w e v e r , w e c a n n o t y e t count on m u c h m o r e t h a n 1 m i l l i o n
t o n s in t h e c r u c i a l m o n t h s J a n u a r y t o M a r c h (and p e r h a p s
not e v e n that m u c h , u n l e s s a r r a n g e m e n t s can be m a d e to
b r i n g in P o l i s h c o a l ) ;
( i i )
r e d u c t i o n of e x p o r t s , w h i c h s h o u l d y i e l d f m i l l i o n t o n s i n
t h e p e r i o d J a n u a r y t o M a r c h (1 m i l l i o n t o t h e e n d of A p r i l ) ;
( i i i )
a n i m p r o v e m e n t in o u t p u t .
M e a s u r e s t o s e c u r e (i) a n d (ii) a r e n o w u n d e r w a y , a n d t h e r e i s a t p r e s e n t
nothing f u r t h e r to s a y , e x c e p t t h a t I hope t h a t e v e r y t h i n g p o s s i b l e will b e
d o n e t o s e c u r e t h e m a x i m u m n u m b e r of s h i p s t h a t c a n b e u s e d f o r
A m e r i c a n c o a l , t o g e t h e r w i t h e a r l y s u p p l i e s of P o l i s h c o a l .
3.
It r e m a i n s t o b e s e e n w h e t h e r o u t p u t w i l l i n c r e a s e s u f f i c i e n t l y
t o c o v e r t h e r e m a i n d e r of t h e 3 m i l l i o n t o n g a p ( 1 t o 1 ^ m i l l i o n t o n s ) .
If w e c o u l d e x c e e d l a s t y e a r ' s o u t p u t b y 5 0 , 0 0 0 t o n s a w e e k f o r t h e r e s t
of t h e w i n t e r w e s h o u l d , a s I h a v e a l r e a d y t o l d t h e m i n e r s , b e o u t of t h e
woed.
I n d e e d , if w e g e t f u l l v a l u e f r o m o u r d e c i s i o n s on i m p o r t s a n d
e x p o r t s ( i . e . i f m i l l i o n t o n s ) , I t h i n k it w o t u l d b e s a f e t o s a y t h a t w e m i g h t
a v o i d s e r i o u s d i f f i c u l t i e s , if, on a v e r a g e , f o r t h e r e s t of t h e w i n t e r , o u t p u t
was as good as last y e a r ' s .
4.
W h a t a r e o u r c h a n c e s of d o i n g t h i . 5 ?
When I last r e p o r t e d ,
d e e p - m i n e d output had a v e r a g e d for the p r e v i o u s four w e e k s 82,000 t o n s
a week below last y e a r ' s output.
L a s t w e e k , I a m glad to s a y t h e r e w a s
s o m e i m p r o v e m e n t in d e e p - m i n e d o u t p u t , w h i c h c a m e c l o s e to l a s t y e a r ' s
f i g u r e ; it i n c r e a s e d b y 1 4 0 , 0 0 0 t o n s o v e r t h e p r e v i o u s w e e k , l a r g e l y owing
fi
t o a n i n c r e a s e of 1 1 3 , 0 0 0 t o n s i n S a t u r d a y w o r k i n g f o l l o w i n g t h e a p p e a l b y
t h e N a t i o n a l C o a l B o a r d a n d t h e N a t i o n a l ' U n i o n of M i n e w o r k e r s .
S a t u r d a y w o r k i n g g a v e u s l a s t w e e k 3 7 , 0 0 0 t o n s m o r e t h a n it d i d in t h e
corresponding week last y e a r .
Unhappily, h o w e v e r , owing to bad
w e a t h e r , the o p e n c a s t output w a s low and total output ( d e e p - m i n e d and
o p e n c a s t ) w a s s t i l l n e a r l y 60,000 torts b e l o w l a s t y e a r s f i g u r e .
l
5.
It m u s t i n p r e s e n t c i r c u m s t a n c e s r e m a i n a v e r y o p e n q u e s t i o n
w h e t h e r w e s h a l l a c h i e v e l a s t y e a r ' s l e v e l of o u t p u t o v e r t h e r e s t of t h e
winter.
If w e d o , w e o u g h t t o b e r e a s o n a b l y s a f e f r o m c r i t i c a l s h o r t a g e s ;
but w h e t h e r we do m u s t depend v e r y l a r g e l y on t h r e e f a c t o r s : ­
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
w h e t h e r w e c a n k e e p t h e r e s u l t s of S a t u r d a y w o r k i n g a p p r e c i a b l y
above l a s t y e a r ' s level, without losing ground from m o r e
a b s e n t e e i s m during the week;
w h e t h e r fog o r s n o w i n t e r r u p t s t h e m o v e m e n t of w a g o n s , a n d so stops pits from winding; o u r l u c k w i t h t h e w e a t h e r in c o n n e c t i o n w i t h o p e n c a s t .
O n ( i ) , I a m s e e i n g t h e m i n i n g M e m b e r s of P a r l i a m e n t t o m o r r o w a n d
a s k i n g t h e m t o c o - o p e r a t e w i t h u s i n t h e i r c o n s t i t u e n c i e s in t h e d r i v e f o r
m o r e coal.
B e t w e e n n o w a n d C h r i s t m a s we m a y e x p e c t good r e s u l t s , and
the testing t i m e will be after C h r i s t m a s when, through illness and other
c a u s e s , a r e l a x a t i o n of e f f o r t is a l l t o o l i k e l y .
On (iii), t h e r e is nothing
we can do, e x c e p t to s e e t h a t all a v a i l a b l e o p e n c a s t m a c h i n e r y i s w o r k e d
w h e r e v e r a n d w h e n e v e r p o s s i b l e : and h e r e I would a s k m y c o l l e a g u e s to
c o - o p e r a t e in a c c e l e r a t i n g t h e c l e a r a n c e of o p e n c a s t s i t e s in t h e m a n n e r
s u g g e s t e d in C.P,(50) 296.
T H E P R O B L E M F O R 1951
6.
O u r p r o b l e m for 1951 l a r g e l y c e n t r e s on m a n - p o w e r .
As I
h a v e a l r e a d y s a i d ( i n C*P*(50) 2 9 7 ) a r e c e n t M i n i s t r y of L a b o u r e n q u i r y
h a s f o u n d t h a t in 1 9 5 1 t h e r e m a y b e a f u r t h e r l o s s t o c o a l m i n i n g of
2 2 , 0 0 0 w o r k e r s ( t h a t i s ) b y t h e e n d of 1 9 5 l a d e c l i n e in t h e t o t a l l a b o u r
force to 663,000).
P r e v i o u s M i n i s t r y of L a b o u r f o r e c a s t s of t h i s k i n d
have been exceedingly
a c c u r a t e , a n d I a m in c o n s e q u e n c e a l l t h e m o r e
d i s t u r b e d by this e s t i m a t e , which, as I have a l r e a d y said, would, on
c u r r e n t e s t i m a t e s of p r o d u c t i v i t y , m e a n a d e c l i n e i n e x p o r t s ( a n d s h i p s '
b u n k e r s ) f r o m t h i s y e a r s f i g u r e of 1 7 m i l l i o n t o n s t o 7 m i l l i o n t o n s .
7.
P e n d i n g f u r t h e r c o n s i d e r a t i o n , I h a v e a r r a n g e d for the N a t i o n a l
C o a l B o a r d and the O v e r s e a s N e g o t i a t i o n s C o m m i t t e e to be w a r n e d t h a t ,
for the t i m e b e i n g , c a r g o e x p o r t c o m m i t m e n t s a r e not to be e n t e r e d into
t h a t w o u l d d e p e n d on a n e x p o r t a n d b u n k e r p r o g r a m m e f o r 1 9 5 1 h i g h e r
than 7 million tons.
It m a y b e t h a t w e c a n t a k e s t e p s t o s e c u r e a b i g
enough a d d i t i o n t o the m i n i n g l a b o u r f o r c e to e n a b l e us to give a h i g h e r
f i g u r e f o r e x p o r t s a t s o m e l a t e r d a t e ( o r it m a y b e t h a t w e s h a l l c o n t i n u e
t h e i m p o r t of c o a l i n o r d e r t o m a i n t a i n e x p o r t s - a m a t t e r t h a t t h e
Official Coal C o m m i t t e e have u n d e r c o n s i d e r a t i o n ) ; but until we can s e e
our way m o r e c l e a r l y we m u s t not r e p e a t the m i s t a k e we m a d e last s u m m e r
of e n t e r i n g i n t o c o m m i t m e n t s t h a t w e c a n n o t f u l f i l .
I r e c o m m e n d that
w h e n w e a r e i n f o r m i n g t h e E c o n o m i c C o m m i s s i o n f o r E u r o p e of o u r
p o s i t i o n on i m p o r t s a n d the d e c i s i o n to c u t e x p o r t s , we s h o u l d a t t h e s a m e
t i m e w a r n t h e m t h a t o u r 1951 e x p o r t s will p r o b a b l y not e x c e e d 7 m i l l i o n
t o n s , b u t t h a t , of c o u r s e , if t h e p o s i t i o n i m p r o v e s , w e s h a l l t a k e i m m e d i a t e
s t e p s to i n c r e a s e our e x p o r t a v a i l a b i l i t y .
8.
T h e p r o b l e m b e f o r e u s i s w h e t h e r w e c a n f i n d m e a n s of
r e v e r s i n g t h e d e c l i n e in m a n - p o w e r a n d s e c u r i n g a s t e a d y i n c r e a s e
d u r i n g t h e w h o l e of n e x t y e a r , e n d i n g t h e y e a r , I s u g g e s t , w i t h a n i n c r e a s e
of 2 0 , 0 0 0 m e n , a n d a t o t a l l a b o u r f o r c e 4 0 , 0 0 0 h i g h e r t h a n t h e 6 6 3 , 0 0 0
f o r e c a s t b y t h e M i n i s t r y of L a b o u r .
I would have liked to set the t a r g e t
h i g h e r ( s i n c e t h i s f i g u r e w i l l g i v e u s o n l y 12 m i l l i o n t o n s f o r e x p o r t s a n d
b u n k e r s , c o m p a r e d w i t h t h e 1 9 5 0 f i g u r e of 1 7 m i l l i o n t o n s ) ; b u t 4 0 , 0 0 0
i s a v e r y l a r g e n u m b e r a n d d r a s t i c a c t i o n w i l l b e n e e d e d to s e c u r e e v e n
that figure;
9.
I h a v e a s k e d t h e N a t i o n a l C o a l B o a r d t o g e t a h e a d , in c o n j u n c t i o n
w i t h t h e M i n i s t r y of L a b o u r , w i t h a r r a n g e m e n t s f o r a b i g r e c r u i t i n g
c a m p a i g n ( f o l l o w i n g t h e C a b i n e t C o n c l u s i o n s of 4 t h D e c e m b e r ) , , a n d
w h i l e t h e c a m p a i g n m a y d o s o m e g o o d , it i s b o u n d t o b e s e r i o u s l y , if n o t
fatally, handicapped by the consideration that u n d e r g r o u n d coalmining,
in c o m p a r i s o n with a l l t h e o t h e r w o r k t h a t is i n c r e a s i n g l y a v a i l a b l e , is
not an a t t r a c t i v e job.
10.
We c a n n o t , i n m y v i e w , h o p e t o r e s t o r e t h e p o s i t i o n , u n l e s s a n d
u n t i l w e find w a y s a n d m e a n s of m a k i n g c o a l m i n i n g a p p r e c i a b l y m o r e
attractive than other work.
I s e e no a l t e r n a t i v e b u t to a t t a c h a n u m b e r
of s p e c i a l p r i v i l e g e s t o m i n i n g , a n d I w o u l d a s k m y c o l l e a g u e s n o w t o
a p p r o v e t h e t w o t h a t I h a v e s u g g e s t e d in C . P , ( 5 0 ) 2 9 7 : ­
(i)
(ii)
a S u p p l e m e n t a r y P e n s i o n s S c h e m e for
miners;
a n o p t i o n f o r s e r v i c e i n t h e m i n e s i n p l a c e of s e r v i c e in
the F o r c e s .
11;
I w o u l d b e g r a t e f u l if m y c o l l e a g u e s w o u l d a l s o l e t m e h a v e t h e i r
a d v i c e o n o t h e r f o r m s of c o n c e s s i o n t h a t c o u l d b e g r a n t e d , f o r I do n o t
think t h e s e two by t h e m s e l v e s will suffice.
12.
P e r s o n a l l y I t h i n k it m a y b e found d e s i r a b l e to give m i n e r s
f u r t h e r h o u s i n g p r i v i l e g e s , b u t I do n o t a s k for t h i s to b e c o n s i d e r e d
until I have a f i r m p r o p o s a l to m a k e to the Cabinet about what should be
d o n e t o p r o v i d e m o b i l e l a b o u r t o b u i l d h o u s e s f o r m i n e r s in s p e c i a l l y
difficult a r e a s .
I u n d e r s t a n d t h e O f f i c i a l C o a l C o m m i t t e e is m a k i n g
s o m e p r o g r e s s on t h i s m a t t e r .
13.
on: ­
I t h e r e f o r e a s k m y c o l l e a g u e s to a g r e e to m y
recommendations
(a)
opencast coal (paragraph 5 above);
(b)
the i n t i m a t i o n t o be g i v e n to t h e E c o n o m i c C o m m i s s i o n for
E u r o p e ( p a t r a g r a p h 7);
(c)
s u p p l e m e n t a r y p e n s i o n s ( p a r a g r a p h 10 ( i ) ) ;
(d)
opting for t h e m i n e s ( p a r a g r a p h 10(ii)).
P.J.N.-B.
i n i s t r y of F u e l a n d P o w e r , S . W . 1 ,
5TH D E C E M B E R ,
1950.