HC Deb 20 May 1957 vol 570 cc834-5
9. Sir F. Medlicott

asked the Paymaster-General if he will now free the supply of household coal from the present system of allocation.

7. Mr. Holt

asked the Paymaster-General when he anticipates that there will be sufficient house coal available to free it from the allocation system.

Mr. Maudling

I cannot add to the Answer I gave on 6th May to my hon. Friend the Member for Ilford, South (Mr. Cooper).

Sir F. Medlicott

Is my right hon. Friend aware that, so far as East Anglia is concerned, this allocation is based on the assumption that the climate of Norfolk is the same as that of Bournemouth, which, climatically at least, is not correct, and that as long as the existing allocation continues East Anglia will suffer from a sense of injustice?

Mr. Maudling

I will certainly consider the comparative statistics of East Anglia and Bournemouth, but, of course, it is not possible in these allocation schemes to produce exact differentials for every area. Our claim is to remove the whole scheme as soon as possible, but I am afraid that in present circumstances, with the continuing need to import large coal, it is not possible to foresee the end of allocation.