§ 47. Mr. COCKSasked the Secretary for Mines if he will state the date upon which the Central Council fixed the quota for the Midland (Amalgamated) District for the quarter ending 31st March, 1931; and the date upon which the Midland 2024 (Amalgamated) District fixed the minimum prices for every class of coal produced in that district.?
§ Mr. SHINWELLThe Central Council fixed the allocation for the Midland (Amalgamated) District for the March quarter on 26th November, 1930. Minimum prices under the Midland scheme for the inland trade became operative on 18th February, 1931. I understand that minimum prices for export for that district are not yet in force, pending discussions with other districts.
§ Mr. COCKSIs this delay to enable the Midland owners to dump coal at cut prices in other districts, and is that the reason why they have exhausted their quota at the present time?
§ Mr. SHINWELLThat is the reason why they have practically exhausted their quota.
§ Mr. McSHANEAre these quotas and prices published at the time of their decision?
§ Mr. SHINWELLIt would be extremely inadvisable that minimum prices should be published.
§ Mr. BATEYAre we to understand that the Midland Counties have not fixed their minimum prices for export coal, seeing that other districts have fixed theirs?
§ Mr. SHINWELLThe matter is now under discussion by the Central Council of Coalowners.
§ Mr. BATEYAre the Ministry not bringing any pressure to bear upon the Midland Counties to fix the price for export coal?
§ Mr. SHINWELLWe cannot compel districts to fix their minimum prices either for export or for inland coal, but in any event the question of fixing minimum prices is not so important as the co-ordination of minimum price and the amount fixed.