§ 4. Mr. ATKEYasked the President of the Board of Trade what is the tonnage of coal per annum supplied to the miners for their personal use free, or for the cost of carting, or at a lower price than that paid by the ordinary private consumer?
§ Sir A. GEDDESThe quantity of coal supplied to the miners during the year 1918 on the terms mentioned in the question was 5,850,000 tons.
§ Mr. ATKEYIn view of the altered conditions, is it not advisable to reconsider the question of these terms and, while doing justice, see that they only consume what they pay for?
§ Sir A. GEDDESSome miners pay a small sum for their coal—a few shillings a ton. Some pay rather more than that. I know of no case where the miners are supplied and are paying the same for coal as other people. The whole question has been most carefully considered, and it is not possible to deal with this coal, which constitutes, in many cases, part of the miners' wages, in the way suggested.