§ 8. Mr. ROWLANDSasked the President of the Board of Trade whether the London County Council or other public bodies have made any provision for acquiring stocks of household coal for sale during the winter to traders engaged in supplying small consumers; and whether he can state particulars of any action taken to carry out the recommendation contained in paragraph 38 of the Report of the Departmental Committee on Retail Coal Prices?
§ Mr. PRETYMANThe recommendation of the Retail Coal Prices Committee with regard to the accumulation of a public stock of coal in London was brought to the notice of the London County Council, but they did not consider the proposal a practicable one. Coal has recently been coming in to London in considerable quantities, and merchants' stocks of household coal at the end of June were somewhat larger than a year ago.
§ Mr. ROWLANDSHas the recommendation been carried out by any local body with regard to the coming winter?
§ Mr. PRETYMANThere are great difficulties with regard to that.