§ 67. Mr. Tinkerasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has considered the Report of the Select Committee on National Expenditure which suggests that 165 the increased price of 10d. per ton on coal should be met by the Government, as the present method of applying it will lead to higher production costs in basic industries; and what he intends to do in this matter?
§ The Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Captain Crookshank)My right hon. Friend has considered this matter, but he does not feel that a subsidy is necessary in this particular case. In this connection I would refer my hon. Friend to the answers given by my right hon. Friend to my hon. Friend on 19th June and to my hon. Friend the Member for Hendon (Sir R. Blair) two days previously.
§ Mr. TinkerWill consideration be given to any further increases in the price of coal and to the question of subsidies, to stop these fluctuations, which only lead to upsetting the whole thing?
§ Captain CrookshankI could not answer a hypothetical question like that.