§ 19. Mr. Nabarroasked the Minister of Fuel and Power, in view of the Coal Distribution Orders now being 12 years old and inappropriate to current circumstances for supply and pricing of house coal, including maxima allocation provisions, whether he will withdraw the orders and substitute new orders based on revised maxima allocations, continued price control and seasonal price differentials of sufficient value to encourage such householders as have accommodation for summer stocking of house coal so to do on a larger scale, thereby helping deliveries in periods of snow, ice and fog, to those householders who have no such accommodation.
§ Mr. Geoffrey LloydWhile I share my hon. Friend's anxiety that householders should stock coal during the summer on a larger scale than in the past, I do not think this purpose would be furthered by amending the orders in the way he has proposed, since I already have power under them to vary the maximum permitted quantities in any period and there have been differential summer prices for some years past.
§ Mr. Speakerrose —
§ Mr. NabarroMay I ask a supplementary?
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. Member was rather slower in rising than usual.
§ Mr. NabarroWith respect, Sir, I was preparing a very short supplementary question. [An HON. MEMBER: " That is unusual."] May I ask my right hon. Friend to bear in mind that the orders to which this Question refers are now 12 years old, they were designed for the great stringency of the war years and are not appropriate to present circumstances?
§ Mr. LloydI quite appreciate that, but I hope that they will not last so far in the future as they have lasted in the past.