§ 67. Mr. WIGNALLasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state how many representatives of the Coal Controller have been appointed in connection with the carrying out of the Price of Coal (Limitations) Act and the Wholesale Coal Pi-ices Order; how many colliery proprietors have been prosecuted for charging an excess price for coal since the passage of the Act in 1915; how many coal merchants have been prosecuted for charging excess price for coal since the coming into operation of the Order in September, 1917; how many of the Coal Controller's representatives are or were directly or in directly connected with the sale of coal; and how many were coal merchants previous to appointment?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANThe section of the Coal Mines Department which administers the Price of Coal (Limitation) Act, 1915, and the Wholesale Coal Prices Order, 1917, consists of six persons, two of whom—-including the head of the section—arc permanent Civil servants and none of whom is or has been directly or indirectly 810 connected with the sale of coal. One colliery company has been prosecuted for charging prices in excess of those which could be justified under the Act of 1915, and nine merchants have been prosecuted for breaches of the Wholesale Coal Prices Order, 1917.