§ 27. Mr. Norman Bowerasked the Minister of Fuel and Power why the Bristol Regional Office of his Department made certain preferential issues of fuel, of which he has been informed; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ShinwellI assume the hon. Member is referring to the report in the Press of the statement by the Salisbury Local Fuel Overseer regarding the supply of large anthracite to Lady Fergusson, the wife of the Permanent Secretary of my Department. To remove misconceptions which that statement might cause, I should point out that large anthracite is not in the list of restricted fuels; it is not a suitable substitute for house coal for use in ordinary domestic grates, and it has been the policy of my Department that it should be used in large domestic boilers as far as it can be made available in preference to the restricted fuels. Licences for supplies of it are not required, and indeed the Local Fuel Overseer advised Lady Fergusson, who had applied to him, that it was not necessary for a permit to be issued to obtain it, and that she was quite in order in asking her registered merchants to let her have a supply of it. It is not the practice of my Department to prescribe to coal merchants the amounts of this fuel to be delivered to individual customers.
1854 In view, however, of the fact that public allegations have been made of improper or undue influence for securing preferential treatment for the Permanent Secretary of my Department, I have, at Sir Donald Fergusson's request, arranged for an independent investigation into the matter, and this is being undertaken by Sir John Forster, K.C.