§ 38. Mr. Perkinsasked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is aware of the present acute shortage of coke in Dursley, Gloucestershire, which is resulting in people having to queue at the gasworks for one-and-three-quarter hours in order to get half cwt. of coke; and whether he will consider increasing the allocation to Dursley.
§ Mr. P. Noel-BakerI am making inquiries and will write to the hon. Member as soon as I can.
§ Mr. PerkinsIs the Minister aware that ever since there have been gasworks in Dursley, for nearly 100 years, there has never been a shortage of coke? Is he aware that the real reason for the shortage is because his Department removed the store of coke which they were accumulating during the summer in order to release it during the winter? Is this not the fundamental cause of the trouble?
§ Mr. Noel-BakerI am told that the fundamental cause is that the demand has increased three-fold since coke supplies were de-restricted a year ago. While-I am awaiting fuller information, I am trying to get more coke for Dursley from Gloucester.