NATIONALISATION BILL

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 149, 21 December 1945, Page 7

NATIONALISATION BILL

BRITISH COAL MINES

TRIBUNAL TO FIX COMPENSATION (By Telegraph—ffress Association—■ Copyright.) Rec. 10.45 a.m.' LONDON, Dec 20. The Coal industry Nationalisation Bill, published today, will bring the whole of the coal industry, including various enterprises directly associated with it, under public ownership and control through a National Coal Board of nine members.

The Bill provides for nationalisation of mines, colliery coke-ovens, manufactured fuel plants, colliery electricity plants, colliery transportation works, colliery merchanting property, and welfare/The board will be granted the exclusive, right of working and getting coal in Britain, and is directed to secure efficient development of the coal industry, and to make adequate quantities of coal available at reasonable prices.

The Bill does not fix the amount of compensation. This question will be referred to a snecial tribunal. The tribunal is directed to determine a round sum required to pay fair compensation, and must not make allowances either because the acquisition is compulsory or the distribution of compensation among the owners will involve expense. Coal will be subject to the general direction' of the Minister of Fuel on matters which appear to him to affect the national interest. The Minister will be advised on matters affecting sale or supply by two councils, representing industrial and domestic consumers, which will also be set up under nationalisation. . The capital the board, needs will be provided from sums advanced by the Minister, aggregating £150,000,000 sterling for the first five years after th« commencement of the Act. In addition, the board can borrow temporarily a maximum of £10,000,000 sterling. , No member of Parliament may be a member of the board. . The Bill is expected to get its second reading not later than the first week in. February. Meanwhile, the work of the compensation tribunal. will go on. It will consist of two judges and an accountant. . . . The Colliery Owners' Association has issued a statement saying that it intends to give the Bill the most careful examination. While repeating that they think private enterprise is still the best way to run the coal industry, the mine owners put themselves at the Government's disposal to ensure a smootn transition to public ownership.