HC Deb 22 February 1955 vol 537 cc1046-8
16 Mr. Nabarro

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) what applications he has received to allow import into the United Kingdom, from the Eastern Zone of Germany, of brown coal briquettes of good calorific value and less smoky in the burning than bituminous coal; and, in view of Great Britain now being one of the largest importers of coal in the world, what steps he is taking to encourage imports from such Iron Curtain countries as may be able to contribute to Britain's coal deficit;

(2) whether, in view of Great Britain now being one of the world's largest coal-importing countries, he will facilitate private enterprise participation in all coal-importing transactions, with a view to assuring adequate competition;

(3) what applications his Department has received from bodies and firms, other than the National Coal Board, seeking permission to import coal into Great Britain; and how far the policy of Her Majesty's Government is to grant mono poly status to the National Coal Board in respect of all coal imports into Great Britain, or whether private merchanting firms will also be allowed to participate in such imports.

Mr. P. Thorneycroft

Apart from occasional shipments of coal from the Irish Republic, I have received in the last six months one application from a private trader to import coal briquettes from the Eastern Zone of Germany and two applications to import sample quantities of coal from other sources. These applications have been approved.

All proposals to import coal, whether by the National Coal Board or by private traders, have to be considered in the light of the United Kingdom supply position and the overseas expenditure involved. As regards imports of coal from Iron Curtain countries, I understand that the National Coal Board is already importing from Poland.

Mr. Nabarro

Might I ask my right hon. Friend two points arising from his reply? First, is it the Government's policy to encourage the increasing participation of private-enterprise merchants in the import of coal? Secondly, why should not coal now be placed on open general licence, as the United Kingdom is the largest importer of coal in the world, and will this year be importing £25 million worth of coal and probably a great deal more next year?

Mr. Thorneycroft

In reply to my hon. Friend's first supplementary question, I do not think there is anything to discourage them, because the Coal Industry Nationalisation Act, 1946, does not confer a coal importing monopoly on the National Coal Board. With regard to the second supplementary question, the arrangements are simply that coal is placed on specific licensing, or open individual licensing in the case of the National Coal Board, and the total amounts are discussed with the Board. I think that is a perfectly satisfactory method. If anybody wants to import coal, all he has to do is to ask for a licence.

Lieut.-Colonel Bromley-Davenport

Is not the high standard of fuel produced by Germany due to the fact that the industry there is run by private enterprise?

Mr. T. Williams

Has the right hon. Gentleman any information about the price of the imported coal? Will the private importer have to make his price plus the profit out of his own sales without affecting the National Coal Board?

Mr. Thorneycroft

If we are to go into questions about the prices and quantities of coal, I think the matter should be referred to the Minister of Fuel and Power.

Mr. Nabarro

In view of the controversial nature of my right hon. Friend's reply, I give notice that I shall raise the matter on the Adjournment.