§ 37. Commander Sir Archibald Southbyasked the Secretary for Mines whether he is aware that in November, 1940, the price of anthracite machine-made washed peas was 55s. 6d. per ton; that an advance of 1s. 8d. per ton was authorised in October; that a further increase of 2s. 9d. per ton was authorised by the Ministry on 1st November; that a 6 per cent. increase in railway rates occurred on 1st December, and that a further advance of 8d. per ton in the pit price was authorised on 1st January, 1[...]41; and why the price 1351 of this fuel has been increased by 5s. 1d. per ton, plus a 6 per cent. increase in railway rates since October?
§ Mr. GrenfellThe increase in price of 5s. 1d. per ton on the South Wales anthracite coal referred to is 2s. 8d. more than the sum of the increased authorised for the country as a whole during the period mentioned. The reasons for the additional increases authorised for this coal were the higher cost of production for machine-made sizes and the reduced proceeds from the sale of duff, due to the loss of certain markets abroad.