35. Mr. De la Bèereasked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether in view of the fact that low-grade coal was exported in considerable quantities to Holland and other places on the Continent during 1946, and that this coal was used by horticulturists for their greenhouses, giving them a substantial advantage over horticulturists in this country who were unable to obtain adequate supplies, he will refuse to make supplies for this purpose available to the European Coal Organisation during 1947.
§ Mr. GaitskellMy right hon. Friend has no information as to what proportion of the inferior coal exported by this country to Holland, in 1946, was used by the Dutch horticultural industry. I may inform the hon. Member however, that since 21st December no coal of any kind has been used by that industry, by order of the Dutch coal distributing authority. No United Kingdom coal is at present being allocated to the European Coal Organisation.
Mr. De la BèreIs the Parliamentary Secretary aware that the feeling among horticulturists in this country was very strong about this coal being sent last year? I welcome the fact that he seemed to give an assurance that no further coal will be sent for this purpose during 1947. Will he confirm it?
§ Mr. GaitskellI have stated that no coal is at present being sent. Obviously, the question of future exports of coal must depend on supplies.
37. Mr. De la Bèreasked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether, in view of the fact that the definition of domestic coal now includes not only coal suitable for burning in an open grate but also boiler coal for central heating of houses, etc., he will give an assurance that the coal shipped to Holland through the European Coal Organisation in 1946 could not have been classified as boiler coal suitable for domestic central heating.
§ Mr. GaitskellOf the 26,000 tons of United Kingdom inferior coal exported to Holland during 1946, only 2,700 tons, drawn from anthracite dumps, were of a type which it might have been possible to use in central heating boilers. My right hon. Friend has no information as to whether it was in fact so used.
Mr. De la BèreCan the Minister tell us when coal is not coal, in view of the fact that whenever it is sent out of the country, and we want coal, we are told that it is inferior and utterly unusable.? Surely those people to whom it goes can make use of it? It just does not make sense.
§ Mr. GaitskellThe Question was whether this coal was used for heating boilers, which I have answered. Most of the coal exported is very inferior, but there is no shred of evidence to show how it was used.
§ Sir P. MacdonaldIs the Parliamentary Secretary aware that the coal here is very inferior, and that 25 per cent. of it is unusable?
§ Mr. GaitskellAt any rate, it is not as bad as the coal we export.