§ 12. Mr. MARTINasked the Secretary for Mines whether he can give the House any information as to the recent decisions of the Central Council of Coal Owners with regard to the operation of Part I of the Coal Mines Act, 1930; whether he has considered these decisions; and whether he can now make a statement to the House as to the policy of His Majesty' Government in relation to the minimum prices and the quota restrictions as applied to the export trade?
§ Mr. E. BROWNAt the moment I can add nothing to the reply I gave on the 23rd May to a similar question by the hon. Member for Widnes (Mr. Robinson). I am sending my hon. Friend a copy.
§ Mr. SMITHERSDoes the hon. Member realise that the coal trade is working under great difficulties owing to
| Port. | Number of anti-breakage appliances installed during the last ten years. | Approximate percentage of total foreign cargo shipments loaded through anti-breakage appliances. | ||||
| 1931. | 1932. | January-April, 1933. | ||||
| Newport | … | … | 5 | 13 | 13 | 14 |
| Barry | … | … | 8 | 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Cardiff | … | … | 12 | 35 | 39 | 46 |
| Penarth | … | … | 2 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Port Talbot | … | … | 6 | 4 | 7 | 7 |
| Swansea | … | … | 11 | 10 | 15 | 20 |
§ I am informed by the Great Western Railway Company that since they have had control of the docks in this area, they have been experimenting with anti-breakage appliances superior to the ordinary type of anti-breakage box, with which the coal shipping appliances at South Wales ports have been equipped for many years. Since 1929, 23 escalator anti-breakage appliances have been installed by the Great Western Railway Company at the pores shown and are included in the above table, and I understand that 10 more of these appliances have been authorised by that Company, but are not yet available. At Swansea, the London, Midland and Scottish Railway Company have installed two escalator appliances since 1931.