Major KELLYasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state the amount of money he has in hand from the sale of exported coal, and the amount of money he has in hand from the Government sale of wool?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANThere is at present no money in hand from the sale of exported coal. As stated in the House on December 22nd, the effect of not proceeding with the Coal Industry (Emergency) Bill will be to cause a cash deficit on the account of the Controller of Coal Mines for the current financial year, but, as the readjustment to be effected by the Coal Mines (Emergency) Bill will be retrospective to April 1st, 1919, the deficit wil be only a temporary one. In reply to the second part of the question, the sale of wool purchased by the Government is conducted by the Ministry of Munitions, and the Board of Trade have no money in hand from that source.