Mr. FRED HALL (Dulwich)asked what, if any, steps the Government proposes to take to facilitate the importation of coal from abroad in order to meet the expected shortage in the home supply resulting from the present strike; whether, as in the ease of His Majesty's mails transport during the carmen's strike of 1911, they will obtain the permission of the National Transport Workers' Federation for such coal to be handled or, on the other hand, the Government would independently take such action as might be requisite to ensure this work being carried out with immunity from interference?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. McKenna)I am not in a position to state what steps, if any, the Government are prepared to take in connection with this matter.