§ 76. Sir Robert Youngasked the Secretary for Mines whether his attention has been called to the inability of the urban district council of Newton-in-Makerfield to purchase coal in Lancashire; that as a result the council's gas undertaking is seriously handicapped and the supply of gas threatened, and that the Lancashire Associated Collieries refuse to quote prices for the supply of coal on the ground that they have no coal to offer; and whether he can explain the reason for this state of things in relation to an adequate coal supply and take steps to remove the causes of complaint without delay?
§ Captain CrookshankI am informed that while in 1935 this council purchased a proportion of its gas coal from Lancashire, in 1936 it purchased its supplies almost entirely from North Staffordshire and Yorkshire, the only exception being 800 tons which was bought from Lancashire, and the contract for which has been renewed this year. The council has now asked Lancashire Associated Collieries to quote for the same qualities of Lancashire coal as it purchased in 1935, but when its custom was transferred to other districts this coal was sold to other consumers and is not now available. Other qualities of Lancashire gas coal have been offered to the council, as well as a renewal of its contracts with North Staffordshire and Yorkshire. There is no question in this case either of a shortage of supplies of coal or of a threat to the supply of gas.
§ Mr. G. GriffithsWill the Secretary of State let the pits in South Yorkshire know? We are still finding some coal there, and it would provide work for some men.