HC Deb 20 June 1955 vol 542 cc1019-20
27. Mr. G. Jeger

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power why he proposes to close the Osgoldcross Fuel Office in Pontefract.

The Minister of Fuel and Power (Mr. Geoffrey Lloyd)

I am awaiting my regional officer's recommendations in regard to this office.

34. Mr. Nabarro

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what economy he has achieved in fuel overseers and fuel offices, compared with October, 1951; and what is the financial economy he has thus achieved, per annum, in operating the domestic coal allocation schemes, comparing 1955 with 1951.

Mr. Geoffrey Lloyd

A reduction in the number of overseers and offices from 1,455 to 782 and in the annual cost from £1,142,000 to about £850,000.

Mr. Nabarro

That is a very satisfactory answer, but can my right hon. Friend say what further progress he now hopes to make towards the elimination of all fuel overseers and fuel offices which are, after all, only a hangover from Socialism?

Mr. Lloyd

I should much like to get rid of coal rationing, but that depends fundamentally on an improvement in coal supplies.

Mr. Snow

In the meantime, will the Minister watch very carefully the closing down of some of these fuel offices in industrial areas? For instance, in the case of Tamworth, to which I have drawn his attention, a mining community can be placed in this position: miners who normally receive concessionary coal no longer receive this coal as part of their wages when they are sick and they have to go to the fuel office, and in this case the fuel office has been moved to a very un-get-at-able area about 15 miles away.

Mr. Lloyd

Of course, this work of securing economy, which is small in relation to the national accounts, but which I am sure the House will agree is well worth while, is quite hard work because of the detailed administrative work involved. So far, however, we have managed to reduce the number of overseers by about half, with very little com- plaint. We look into each case most carefully before a final decision is taken.

Mr. Paget

Is not the reason for the shortage of coal that the coal which we produce in England and make available here is much cheaper than the coal which anybody else abroad can produce, and that it is therefore more expensive because we have to import a more expensive article?

Mr. Lloyd

There is an element of truth in that statement, but I would regard it as an overstatement.

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