HC Deb 23 July 1951 vol 491 cc8-10
9. Brigadier Clarke

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what quantities of coal he plans to export during the year ending April, 1952.

Mr. P. Noel-Baker

For the six months which will end on 31st October, provision has been made for exports and bunkers amounting to 5.3 million tons. I regret that I cannot yet say how much will be exported during the winter months.

Brigadier Clarke

Has the Minister not yet learned that it is uneconomical to export coal in the summer if he has to buy back coal from America at double the price in the winter? Does he realise that old age pensioners and other people living on fixed incomes cannot afford this type of Socialist planning?

Mr. Noel-Baker

If we did not export the coal which we are exporting now we should have the greatest difficulty in getting meat, timber, iron ore and other vital requirements.

Mr. Geoffrey Lloyd

While understanding the unfortunate circumstances which have led to the low level of exports at the present time, which the right hon. Gentleman has mentioned, may I ask him to bear in mind that if it had been possible to export on a pre-war basis it would have meant a foreign exchange gain of between £100 million and £150 million a year?

Mr. Noel-Baker

Yes, Sir. I am fully alive to the advantages of exports. The principal circumstance that prevents us exporting more is the great expansion of home demand. If the temperature had been the same this year as in 1949, and we had used the same amount of coal, we might this year have exported 25 million tons.

Mr. Lloyd

Will the right hon. Gentleman consider this matter not simply on the basis of an alteration in temperature in the summer of one year against another, but more upon the long-term prospects of increasing the production of coal?

Mr. Noel-Baker

Yes, Sir. Of course, I am constantly doing that, but I ask the right hon. Gentleman and his hon. Friends to consider the major factor in the situation, namely, the immense increase in the home demand for coal owing to full employment and the rising productivity of labour.

Mr. David Eccles

Is the right hon. Gentleman contemplating importing any coal in the next nine months?

Mr. Noel-Baker

That is another question.

17. Mr. Nabarro

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether his attention has been drawn to the deficit during 1951, of 11,000,000 tons of coal anticipated by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe; the tonnage that the United Kingdom undertook to provide, by arrangement with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe for the year 1951; the tonnage actually provided, and the deficit during the six months ended 30th June, 1951; and what is the anticipated deficit in the United Kingdom contribution of coal to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe for the full year 1951.

Mr. P. Noel-Baker

Before the end of each quarter, each of the coal exporting nations gives the Coal Committee of the Economic Commission for Europe a forecast showing the amount of coal, coke and manufactured fuels which they hope to export to other member countries during the following quarter. The forecast given by the United Kingdom for the first two quarters (January-June) of this year amounted to 2. 344 million tons. The actual shipments were 2. 58 million tons, together with 450,000 tons of inferior coal and 230,000 tons of coke breeze. Our forecast for the third quarter was 1. 283 million tons; we have not yet made any forecast for the last quarter of the year.

Mr. Nabarro

In view of the right hon. Gentleman's earlier replies, is it logical that we should contemplate importing high price, hard currency, American coal and continue to export relatively low price, soft currency, British coal to Western European countries?

Mr. Noel-Baker

I have frequently explained the reasons why we must export coal. I have given the hon. Member, in, answer to his Question, figures which show that we have done better in exporting to- Europe than we could have expected.

Mr. Nabarro

Why is an 11 million tons deficiency forecast by the Economic Commission for Europe if we have done better?

Mr. Noel-Baker

Because the recovery in Europe has been such that the demand for fuel and power has greatly increased.