§ 6. Sir Ian Fraserasked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he will make a statement on the prospects of coal and coke supplies for the remainder of the winter, and the adequacy of the present level of stocks both for industrial and domestic, consumers.
§ Mr. Geoffrey LloydThe industrial position is satisfactory. House coal supplies are coming forward well, but stocks are still too low for this time of year.
§ Sir I. FraserCan the Minister say whether both the industrial and the domestic stocks are in the right places throughout the land, so that if we were to be unfortunate with transport there would be a chance of the people getting the fuel?
§ Mr. Noel-BakerIs not it the fact that the domestic stocks in the hands of the 614 merchants are about 150,000 tons above last year and that in addition the supplies of briquettes for household users are up by about 300,000 tons?
§ Mr. LloydYes, Sir, it is the fact. It is also the fact that when the present Government came into office household coal stocks were 900,000 tons lower than they were last year.
§ Mr. Noel-BakerBut there was more coal in the hands of the householders.
§ 24 and 25. Mr. Harold Finchasked the Minister of Fuel and Power (1) what were the total merchant stocks of house coal on 19th January last;
(2) what were the total distributed coal stocks on 19th January last.
§ Mr. Geoffrey LloydThe total distributed coal stocks on 19th January last were 14,986,000 tons, and of this 1,092,600 tons was house coal.
§ Mr. Noel-BakerIs it right that the total distributed stocks are nearly 4,500,000 tons above those of last year and that they are higher than they have ever been at this time of year?
§ Mr. LloydYes, Sir. The total distributed stocks are almost 4,500,000 tons higher than they were at this time last year, but on 27th October they were only 1,200,000 tons higher.
§ Mr. Noel-BakerIs not that due to the splendid level of production?
§ Mr. LloydYes, Sir. It is due to the good level of production, but it is also due to the fact that, because November and December were the warmest ever recorded we have saved 1,000,000 tons.
§ Mr. Noel-BakerIs it not a fact that it is the average temperature for the previous year which affects the stocks in January, and was not the average temperature in 1951 just normal in England, and below normal in Scotland?
§ Mr. LloydThe temperature during the whole year has an effect on the stocks at the end of the year, but the temperature which is relevant to the difference in the stocks between early autumn and the beginning of January is the temperature of the intervening months.
§ Mr. NabarroIs not a factor in the improvement in distributed stocks that of superior administration?
§ Mr. Sydney SilvermanIs it the Minister's view that while the Government are not entitled to the credit for any saving in stocks due to abnormally warm weather, they nevertheless remain responsible for any deterioration in stocks due to abnormally cold weather?