§ 78. Mr. David Grenfellasked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he will consider the restoration for 1944 and succeeding years of the pre-war annual report of the Mines Department covering a similar range of statistical and factual information relating to the mining industry and to its administration.
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Fuel and Power (Mr. Tom Smith)As my hon. friend knows, the publication of Departmental annual reports was suspended in 1940 by general decision, as a war economy measure. That decision still holds good. My hon. Friend will appreciate, however, that the statistical digest issued by my Department in July last gives the salient statistics of the coal industry for the war years, and my right hon. Friend proposes to supplement this information from time to time.
§ Mr. GrenfellWill the Minister tell the House how far he expects supplementation to be provided, say, for this year or for next year?
§ Mr. SmithI think my hon. Friend knows that, in addition to the annual digest published by my Ministry, the more important statistics are given in the Board of Trade Journal. A Parliamentary White Paper is to be issued.
§ Mr. GrenfellWhen is it to be issued?