§ 6. Mr. Julius Silvermanasked the Minister of Fuel and Power what proportion of the coal supplied to domestic consumers in Birmingham is opencast; and what is the proportion in the country as a whole.
§ Mr. Geoffrey LloydFifteen per cent. and 5 per cent. respectively.
§ Mr. SilvermanDoes not the Minister think that this is an entirely unfair allocation? In addition, are not wagons now available—I understand they were not available before—for a wider distribution of opencast coal to every part of the country? Will the Minister consider giving an increased allocation of this coal in areas where there is local opencast-working?
§ Mr. LloydThis proportion between opencast and deep-mined coal in Birmingham was made by my predecessor last summer in anticipation of the difficulties in facing the winter, and for the reason —which, I am bound to say, was a good one—that he was anxious to save the railway coal wagons. Therefore, it was decided to supply the cities near the opencast workings by road lorry, as much as possible.
§ Mr. SilvermanIs it not a fact that the wagon situation has improved and is now quite different from what it was last summer? Are not wagons now available to distribute this opencast coal?
§ Mr. LloydIt is always easy to think in the spring that the situation is much better than it will be in the autumn.