§ 40. Mr. C. Howellasked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will elaborate, up to the latest convenient date, table 67 of his Statistical Digest so as to show what quantity of coal is transported by road to nationalised gas undertakings by British Road Services and by private contractors, respectively.
§ Mr. Aubrey JonesDuring the year ended 31st March, 1956, about 3¼ million tons of coal were transported by road to nationalised gas undertakings. Details of the amount carried by different classes of carrier are not available, but little or none was carried by British Road Services.
§ Mr. HowellIn view of the difficulty which has now arisen with regard to oil and petrol, will the Minister not consider requesting industry, or at least his section of it, to see that private enterprise haulage is now handed over to British Railways during this emergency even—[Interruption.] The noble Lord the Member for Dorset, South (Viscount Hinchingbrooke) laughs; I do not know whether he has now become "Lord Haw-Haw." We have been asked by the Minister to conserve oil and petrol, and my Question was put down with a view to reminding the Minister that a considerable amount of petrol and oil is used on the roads for the purpose of carrying 555 coal from one nationalised industry to another which could go on the railways and thereby save petrol and oil.
§ Mr. JonesThe question as put by the hon. Member is entirely outside my jurisdiction; but I do agree that I am anxious to see oil and petrol conserved, and those industries which are under my jurisdiction are certainly giving their consideration to that.
§ Mr. NabarroIs it not a fact that, ever since the nationalisation of coal and of certain sections of transport, there has been this continuous complaint that coal is being hauled by road on very uneconomic terms, whereas the whole of it ought to be hauled by rail and by canal?
§ Mr. D. JonesIs the right hon. Gentleman now going to consult his right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport and take this opportunity of using the railways to convey the coal from the nationalised mining industry to the nationalised gas and electricity industry and save the necessary fuel?
§ Mr. JonesCertainly, I am in consultation with my right hon. Friend, and I am also in consultation with the National Coal Board. The National Coal Board is giving consideration to the extent to which coal traffic might in fact be diverted to rail; but I think it well to remind the House that a very great part of the increased diversion to road took place after the rail strike last year.
§ 41. Mr. C. Howellasked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will elaborate, up to the latest convenient date, table 67 of his Statistical Digest so as to show what quantity of coal is transported by road to nationalised electricity undertakings by British Road Services and by private contractors, respectively.
§ Mr. Aubrey JonesDuring 1955 about 7½ million tons of coal and coke were transported by road to the nationalised electricity undertaking. Although precise details are not available for different classes of carrier, I understand that little or none was carried by British Road Services.
§ Mr. HowellWill the Minister tell the House whether inside his own Department, that is to say, in the National Coal Board section, there is sufficient siding accommodation to be able to use the British Transport Commission's railway section to a far greater extent than is done at the moment?
§ Mr. NabarroIs my right hon. Friend aware that in the case of Stourport-on-Severn power station, one of the largest in the Midlands, which is equipped and always has been equipped to bring in all its coal by canal and by rail, very large tonnages have been brought in by road on wholly uneconomic terms?
§ Mr. JonesNo, I am not aware of that, and again, I am afraid, that is a question of detail which is outside my direct jurisdiction.