§ 44. Mr. Macleanasked the Secretary for Mines whether the coal supply in Glasgow is now sufficient to supply the normal demand of the citizens; whether he will organise a more systematic method of coal delivery to domestic consumers than the present method; and whether he will arrange for the storing of a sufficient supply of coal in suitable depots to prevent any further shortages in any of the city districts, or throughout the city generally?
§ Mr. LloydThe position is now greatly improved. Coal has been moving into the city fairly freely for the past 10 days; and practically all the streets, I am informed, are now clear. According to my information the difficulties in this city as elsewhere have been due to the abnormally severe weather and not to any fault in the methods of distribution or delivery.
§ Mr. MacleanIs it not entirely wrong to say that it was due to the bad weather? Is the hon. Member aware that I sent a telegram to one of the coal distributors in Glasgow last Friday asking him to send coal to a district which had been left without it by him for five days, and the coal was there three hours after I sent the telegram, showing that there must have been coal in his depot at the time?
§ Mr. LloydThe coal was in the depots, but the difficulty was one of local distribution. I am glad that the hon. Member's representations were so speedily answered.
§ Mr. MacleanBut cannot other representations be made so that a Member of Parliament will not have to do this when he arrives home?
§ Mr. LloydI have made inquiries in the competent quarters, and I find that not for 60 years have we had bad weather of such duration.