HC Deb 20 June 1901 vol 95 cc902-3
MR. D. A. THOMAS (Merthyr Tydfil)

I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has addressed a communication to the various coal trade associations asking those bodies if they are prepared to support a request for a complete investigation into the whole subject of the country's coal resources, the probable term for which the coalfields are likely to last for home consumers, the possibility of adopting a more economical method of working, the competitive power of our coal with the coal of other countries, and the probable effect of the new export duty; and, if so, whether such an inquiry will be by a Royal Commission, a Select Committee of the House, or a Departmental Committee; whether, in view of the time that must elapse before the result of such an extended inquiry can be made public, he will provide that an Interim Report shall be issued as to the effect of the new coal duty before it will be necessary to formulate the Budget proposals of the next financial year; and if, having regard to the nature of the inquiry and the current estimate of the value of the Report of the Coal Commission of 1866 as to the probable duration of the supplies of cheap coal, he will see that the commercial element is adequately represented upon the Commission or Committee.

SIR M. HICKS BEACH

The Parliamentary Committee of the Mining Association of Great Britain asked me whether I could advise an inquiry into the advisability of the coal export duty, its incidence, and its probable effects on the coal trade; and explained that they did not suggest the withdrawal of the duty, but desired an inquiry before it was imposed for another year. I pointed out to them that such an inquiry would be, in my opinion, too limited to lead to any satisfactory conclusion, and asked whether they would support suggestions which had already been made for a much more extended investigation, including the first four points specified in the question. I have not yet received a reply, and therefore have not brought the subject before my colleagues. I can, therefore, only say, in reply to the other questions of the hon. Member, that at present I do not see how an Interim Report could be of value unless it was based on a consideration of the whole subject.