§ Mr. BARNES(by Private Notice) asked the Secretary for Mines whether he is aware that there is at present a grave shortage of domestic supplies of coal throughout the country, and that delays of 12 to 14 days are being experienced in transport of supplies from the pithead to merchants with consequent dislocation of business due to fluctuating prices; whether this delay is not due to the shortage of railway trucks caused by the movement of foreign coal at the expense of British supplies; and whether, in consequence, he will take steps to remedy this state of affairs which will lead to large numbers of domestic consumers of coal being without supplies at Christmas?
§ Colonel LANE FOXMy information does not bear out the hon. Member's suggestion about a shortage of domestic coal. If he is aware of a shortage in any locality, I shall be glad to look into it, if he will give me particulars. As regards 2930 the rest of the question, I am aware that the railways are at present finding some difficulty in the transport of coal, and that their difficulty is increased by the arrival of foreign coal ordered before the stoppage ended. But I do not understand in what respects he suggests that it is within my power to remedy this. Government importation of coal ceased some time ago.
Sir H. COWANThe right hon. Gentleman says he will be glad to look into any case of a shortage of coal. In my district in North Islington the shortage is very great indeed, and only yesterday I made representations on the subject to the Minister of Transport, who, I believe, is the Minister concerned.
§ Mr. B. PETOArising out of the latter part of the reply, in the event of the Government having made a profit by the purchase of foreign coal, would it not be better to apply some portion of the profit to cancelling unexecuted orders for foreign coal, which are now congesting our railways, and preventing miners continuing in work?
§ Colonel LANE FOXI can assure my hon. Friend that all powers of cancellation have been carried out by the Government, and also by private importers. As regards the other part of the question, if he will give me particulars, I will look into it and see what can be done.
§ Mr. BARNESI understood the Secretary for Mines to say that he had no power in this matter. If that be the case, is there any possibility of improvement if we give him direct and definite information about the shortage?
§ Colonel LANE FOXNo, Sir; what I said was that I had no powers to deal with the difficulty of the shortage of railway wagons, due to the importation of foreign coal as mentioned in the question. I do not know how I can affect that.
§ Mr. HARRISIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that not a sack of coal is obtainable in Bethnal Green from any of the coal merchants?
§ Colonel LANE FOXMy information does not exactly tally with what the hon. Gentleman says, but I will certainly inquire to see whether his statement is correct.
§ Mr. BATEYAre we to understand that foreign coal is being imported into this country, and can the Minister tell us how much is being imported per week?
§ Colonel LANE FOXNo, Sir, not, offhand. Of course, there are certain contracts that have been made in the past by private importers, by railways and so on, under which deliveries are still being made, and that will go on for a short time.
§ Mr. BATEYCan the Secretary for Mines say whether the Government are selling the coal that is being imported at a loss, in order to compete with British coal?
§ Colonel LANE FOXI have already said—and if the hon. Gentleman had listened to my answers he would have heard—that Government importation ceased some time ago.
§ Mr. HARRIS(by Private Notice) asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that in the Bethnal Green area there is no domestic coal available of any kind, and whether he will make arrangements with the railway companies to give priority to domestic coal until the immediate demands are satisfied?
§ Colonel ASHLEYI was not aware of the fact stated in the hon. Member's question. I will communicate with the railway company.