A History of the Ministry of Information, 1939-46
THE SOCIAL SURVEY
RECRUITMENT TO MINING (PARENTS)
Interviewer ........ Date ........
Admin. Area ........ Place of Interview ........ Size ........
For Boys under 18 years still at school Total No...........................
1. (a) What kind of work have you in mind for your boys ? (b) Why?
| (a) kind of work | |||||||
| Boy | Age | Mining | Trades | Others | None/D.K. | (b) Why? | Code |
| 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |||
| 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |||
| 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |||
| 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |||
| 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |||
For Boys under 14-18 years already at work
Total no.
2. (a) What are the occupations of boys who have already left school?
(b) Are they doing the kind of work you had in mind for them?
If YES, (c) Did they want to do it? (d) If not, what did they want to do?
If NO, (e) What kind of work did you have in mind for them? (f) Why didn’t they take it up?
| (b) | (c) If Yes to (b) | (d) If No to (e) What did they want to do? | |||||||||
| Boy | Age | (a) Present Occupation | YES | NO | YES | NO | Mining | Trades | Others | D, Know | |
| 1 | Y | X | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |||
| 2 | Y | X | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |||
| 3 | Y | X | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |||
| Boy | (e) if No to (b) Work wanted | (f) Why didn’t they take it up? | ||||
| Mining | Trades | Others | Any Else | |||
| 1 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | ||
| 2 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | ||
| 3 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | ||
3. (a) How important do you think the following things are in a job?
4. Have you ever thought of coal mining as a possible job for your boys?
| CODE | |
| No - never thought of it | 1 |
| Yes - against it | 2 |
| Yes - in favour of it | 3 |
| Yes - no other job available | 4 |
| Vague | 5 |
5. Do you think there is anything to be said in favour of coal-mining as a Job?
If YES What?
Which of these is the chief thing in favour of mining
6. Have you anything to say against coal-mining as a job?
Yes 7 No 8 D.K. 9
If YES. What
| Bad Pay | Y |
| Bad prospects | X |
| Bad hours, inconvenient shifts | 0 |
| Work too hard | 1 |
| Unhealthy, dirty, dusty | 2 |
| Worry and work for wives | 3 |
| Dangerous | 4 |
| Others | 5 |
Which of these is the chief thing against coal-mining?
7. How do you think the social standing of the skilled coal miner compares with that of all other skilled workers?
Comments
8. Do you think any of the following are better or worse in coal miner areas than in non-coal mining areas?
| (Prompt) | Better | The same | Worse | D.K. |
| Housing | Y | X | 0 | 1 |
| Social amenities | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Chance of alternative jobs if injured | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
To Mining Men only
9. Have there been any improvements in the working conditions of coal mining since 1926 (or since you first knew it, if you entered mining later?)
Yes 1 No 2 D.K 3
If YES -What?
10. Are there any more improvements which you think could be made in the working conditions?
If YES,
(a) Which are the most important?
(b) Do you think they will be made?
To Everybody
11. Which of the following things do you think are better in coal-mining and which are worse in coal-mining, than in the job your eldest boy in non-mining is now doing?
To all who say Working surroundings and/or kind of work are worse in mining
12. (a) What kind of working surroundings from this list do you think are most unpleasant, and which least unpleasant?
(b) Do you know anything about the following jobs?
(c) Which of the list do you think the most unpleasant and which the least unpleasant?
13. Do you think the coal-miner has or has not a claim to a special pension?
Comments
14. What do you think about compensation for injuries in coal-mining?
15. Do you think anything can be done to make coal-mining more attractive to boys like your own?
If YES, what?
| More coupons, more food | Y |
| Better pay, less Inc. Tax | X |
| Better hours | 0 |
| Better training | 1 |
| Improve conditions, more machinery | 2 |
| Others | 3 |
16. Mines are going to be increasingly mechanised. Do you think this will make mining a better or a worse job than it is now?
17. Boys entering mining are going to have a special training course before going underground. Do you think this would influence you towards letting your boy go into mining?
18. It may be possible for boys to go to a residential training centre for six months for further education as well as technical training. Would this influence you in favour of a boy of your own going?
19. Do you know that the mines are going to be taken over by the Government?
If YES
Do you know how they are going to do it?
20. Do you think this will make mining a better or worse job?
Comments
21. Does it alter your attitude to coal-mining as a job in any way?
If YES , In what way?
If NO, Why not?
22. How important do you think the coal industry is compared with all the other industries?
22. To sum up, would you say that so far as a job for your son is concerned you–