26. Mrs. WARDasked the Secretary for Mines the number of working days lost to the mines owing to the working of the quota in Part I of the Coal Mines Act?
§ Mr. ISAAC FOOTI am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the reply which I gave on 16th September to a somewhat similar question. I am not aware of any change in the situation since then.
Viscountess ASTORDoes not the hon. Gentleman think that that is hard for a new Member who was not here in September?
§ Mr. FOOTThe difficulty is, a fairly long statement was made at that time, and I do not wish to trouble the House with it. I have a copy of the answer here and can read it if the House so desires. [HON. MEMBERS: "No ‡"] I have already in my answer undertaken to send it to the hon. Member.
§ Mr. T. WILLIAMSCan the Minister say whether his Department has any information indicating a shortage of supply; and is it not true that there are millions of tons of coal in stock at the moment?