§ 10 and 11. Mr. THOMAS-STANFORDasked the President of the Board of Trade (1) whether he is aware that the amount of coal supplied to the towns of Brighton and Hove has for some weeks been quite inadequate to the needs of the population; that the present supply in the town is only sufficient to last for one day; whether he will give instructions to the Coal Controller to take prompt measures to forward an adequate quantity of coal to relieve the present situation, and will also release the wagons belonging to local coal merchants which have been taken over by the Controller;
(2) whether he is aware that, owing to the short supply of coal to the town, the electricity undertaking of the Hove Corporation is carrying on the supply of electricity for domestic and industrial purposes only with the utmost difficulty and that there is a considerable risk of a complete failure of its operations; whether he is aware that the coal from the colliery which usually supplies this undertaking has been diverted elsewhere and that not a single truck has reached Hove since 28th February; and whether he will take immediate steps to see that the requirements of the district are reasonably met?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANThe difficulties which have existed at Brighton have been largely due to congestion on the railways. As regards household coal, I am informed that at present the stocks held by merchants and the local authority amount to about a week's supplies and arrangements have been made for additional quantities of coal to be sent into Brighton and Hove by sea, while a special consignment has been forwarded to the electricity works. The wagons recently requisitioned are now being returned to the local merchants.