§ 38. Sir J. Mellorasked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is accumulating stocks of coal in the Birmingham area; whether he is aware that merchants and consumers are receiving barely enough for current requirements and are unable to increase their stocks; and whether the policy of building up private stocks during the summer has been discarded in favour of creating central dumps?
Major Lloyd GeorgeHouse coal is at present being consigned to a site near Birmingham, but this stock is not being accumulated at the expense of merchants and consumers in that area. There is no intention of discarding the general policy of building up private stocks during the summer.
§ Sir J. MellorWould it not be better policy to increase private stocks to the fullest possible extent before adding anything to the central dumps?
Major Lloyd GeorgeThat is allowed, as I have explained, up to a certain limited extent, but our policy is to build up emergency stocks as well, so that they can be drawn upon if the need arises.