HC Deb 05 June 1947 vol 438 cc364-6
16. Mr. Shurmer

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power, if he is aware that supplies of opencast coal coming into Birmingham from Derby and Nottingham areas are of poor quality and merchants are very much concerned; and if he will make inquiries into the matter with a view to some improvement in quality.

Mr. Shinwell

I have already had inquiries made into this matter, and find that while some of the coal is only discoloured and is quite a good domestic fuel, coal from one site contained a proportion of material which should have been extracted at the screens, but which it was not easy to distinguish from coal. Instructions have been given that the portion of the seam containing this material will be discarded.

Mr. Shurmer

Is my right hon. Friend aware that this is a widespread complaint in the city of Birmingham? In fact, I can give the Minister quite a lot of facts out of my cellar if he wants them. As there is a need to stock coal, people will be getting a much smaller quantity in Birmingham, where merchants are disgusted at having to supply such coal.

Mr. Shinwell

These are sweeping assertions. I am not prepared to accept all the implications of what my hon. Friend says. This is an isolated instance—[HON. MEMBERS: "No.]—I say that this is an isolated instance—[HON. MEMBERS: No."] If my hon. Friend or any other Member can produce evidence of this being of a general character, I will certainly make inquiries.

Mr. Shurmer

I will make every endeavour to get bags of it from my constituency.

Squadron-Leader Fleming

Will the Minister consider the advisability of speaking to the National Coal Board about charging top price for coal which is admittedly of low quality?

Mr. Shinwell

Certainly, if the hon. and gallant Member can produce evidence of that: I have no desire that an unwholesome practice should be continued.

Sir Waldron Smithers

Can the Minister say on whom the loss falls? Does it fall on the consumer or the coal merchants?

Mr. Shinwell

I imagine that if the consumer is not being provided with coal at the right price the loss would be sustained by the consumer.

Sir W. Smithers

Charge it to Lord Hyndley.

17. Mr. D. Marshall

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he is aware that the Wadebridge Rural District Council express anxiety with regard to the poor quality of coal being supplied to this area; and if he will take immediate action to ensure that at least one cwt. per week of better quality coal is made available for these rural areas.

Mr. Shinwell

There is no evidence to suggest that there has been any abnormal deterioration in the quality of coal supplies to the Wadebridge area. As regards the second part of the Question, special attention will continue to be paid to the needs of rural areas, and the National Coal Board have already taken certain measures to ensure that the quality of coal generally is maintained at as high a level as practicable.

Mr. Marshall

I will send the Minister the evidence that coal being supplied in the rural district of Wadebridge and also in the vicinity of Polruan is extremely bad. In due course he will receive that evidence.

Mr. Shinwell

It is certainly true that there has been some trouble in this area, but it is partly due to the fact that most of the coal supplied is seaborne, and is, therefore, subject to more breakage, in addition to which a great deal of the coal which has been supplied has been ex- tracted from stock which has been lying for some time.

Mr. Molson

In view of the answer which the Minister has just given, why did he say in reply to the previous Question that it was an isolated case?

Mr. Shinwell

Because my hon. Friend the Member for Sparkbrook (Mr. Shurmer) was referring to Birmingham, and not to Wadebridge.

Hon. Members

Oh.

Mr. Marshall

Is the Minister aware that in a number of these rural cases there is no alternative method of cooking, and that wood has to be bought in order to make the coal burn.

Mr. Shinwell

That question appears to refer to the quantity of coal, whereas the original Question referred to quality. The National Coal Board and the Ministry of Fuel and Power are aware of the difficulty about quality, which is partly due to the difficulties arising from the absence of washing and screening facilities attributable in some measure to the war.