§ 17. Colonel CLIFTON BROWNasked the Secretary for Mines what steps he is taking to secure an adequate supply of house coal for London in view of the threatened shortage?
§ Mr. SHINWELLI am unable to accept the suggestion that there is any threatened shortage of house coal 1838 supplies for London. The National Committee of Investigation have reported that, after a careful review of the evidence placed before them on a complaint by the Coal Merchants' Federation, they are not satisfied that there is any general shortage of coal. The Committee add that in a few isolated cases difficulties may be arising, but these can, it appears, be met from other sources of supply in Great Britain. I am informed that considerable quantities of house coal are on offer in London.
Colonel BROWNHas the hon. Gentleman not seen the statement made by the President of the Coal Merchants' Federation last Saturday to the effect that they already had to restrict supplies?
§ Mr. SHINWELLYes, I read that statement. Since then we have had conversations with the President of the Coal Merchants' Federation, and he has informed us that his remarks were not intended to convey all that has been assumed from them.
§ 20. Mr. EVERARDasked the Secretary for Mines the number of tons of coal allowed to be raised this month in the collieries in Leicestershire under the quota system; and the number of tons raised in March, 1930?
§ Mr. SHINWELLI am not in possession of the information asked for in the first part of the question. The estimated quantity of coal raised and weighed in the Leicester ascertainment district in March, 1930, was 190,000 tons.
§ Mr. EVERARDAm I right in believing that the quota is 58 per cent. of what was raised last year; and, as household coal is produced in Leicestershire, and as there is a great demand for household coal, has not the quota put a large number of people in the mines of Leicestershire out of work?
§ Mr. SHINWELLThat is not the position. The quota is a quarterly quota, and it was not fixed at 58 per cent. but at 10 per cent. below the production for the period before last January.
§ Mr. C. WILLIAMSIs it not a fact that the allocation for the third quarter of this year is 10 per cent. less than what was raised in the first quarter last year; and is it not the case that the present allocation is infinitely larger than 1839 the quantity for which the majority of coalowners in Leicestershire and Lancashire have orders?
§ Mr. SHINWELLI cannot reply to the last part of the supplementary question without notice, but I agree with the hon. Member with regard to the first part.
Mr. ERNEST WINTERTONHas the hon. Gentleman received any complaints from the Leicestershire Miners' Association or from the coalowners regarding the quota?
§ 24. Mr. HERRIOTTSasked the Secretary for Mines what was the quarter's allocation of coal output fixed by the Central Council under the Coal Mines Act, 1930, for all the districts in Great Britain; and what was the output in each district, respectively, in January and February, 1931?
§ Mr. SHINWELLAs the reply involves a table of figures, I will, with
| Districts. | Allocation made by the Central Council for the quarter ending 31st March, 1931. | Estimated quantity of coal raised and weighed during January and February, 1931. |
| Tons. | Tons. | |
| Northumberland | 3,369 150 | 2,167,400 |
| Durham | 9,306 810 | 5,607 000 |
| Cumberland | 599,160 | 352,900 |
| Lancashire and Cheshire | 3,933,900 | 2,597,000 |
| Midland (Amalgamated) | 19,056,060 | 13,582,200 |
| Shropshire | 166,820 | 107,300 |
| North Staffordshire | 1,521,810 | 962,200 |
| South Staffordshire (exclusive of Cannock Chase) and Worcestershire. | 431,930 | 257,600 |
| Cannock Chase | 1,300,190 | 877,000 |
| Warwickshire | 1,190,950 | 799,800 |
| Forest of Dean | 344,610 | 208,500 |
| Bistol | 52,180 | 33,100 |
| Somerset | 232,430 | 151,900 |
| Kent | 400,000 | 248,300 |
| North Wales | 882,740 | 541,700 |
| South Wales and Monmouthshire | 11,859,840 | 5,164,500 |
| Scotland | 7,937,010 | 5,020,100 |
| Total | 62,585,590 | 38,678,500 |
§ 27. Sir VICTOR WARRENDERasked the Secretary for Mines whether his attention has been drawn to the shortage of coal supplies in the county of Kesteven due to the operation of the quota provisions of the Coal Mines Act, 1930; and whether he is prepared to take action to ensure that supplies of coal are available for the local population?
§ my hon. Friend's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. HERRIOTTSWill the hon. Gentleman give us the total for the United Kingdom?
§ Mr. SHINWELLThe total allocation made by the Central Council for the quarter ending 31st March, 1931, was 62,585,590 tons, whereas the estimated quantity of coal raised and weighed in January and February, 1931, was 38,678,500 tons.
§ Mr. HERRIOTTSDoes not this show that the quota is far from being exhausted, and can the hon. Gentleman assure the House that there is an adequate supply of coal?
§ Mr. SHINWELLThese figures indicate that the quota for the whole country is far from exhausted.
§ Following is the table:
§ Mr. SHINWELLI have received no complaints with regard to shortage of coal supplies in Kesteven. My information is that there is no general shortage of coal, and that in those isolated cases where coal cannot be secured from normal sources of supply, alternative supplies are available.
§ Sir V. WARRENDERIs the hon. Gentleman aware that I was speaking from personal experience and from information obtained from my own coal merchant in the county?
§ Mr. SHINWELLI am happy to assure the hon. Gentleman that that is not so. If he will furnish me with particulars regarding the alleged shortage of coal in Kesteven, I shall be glad to do what I can to put the matter right. As regards price, it is wrong to say that coal now on offer in the market is being charged for at a higher price.
§ Sir V. WARRENDERIs the hon. Gentleman aware that I am speaking from experience?
§ Mr. SHINWELLThere may be an isolated case due to the heavy weather which has recently been experienced, and which has made it impossible to get an adequate supply, but surely the hon. Gentleman does not assume that, because he happens to go short of coal for a few days, the whole country has experienced a shortage.