§ 9. Mr. Nabarroasked the Paymaster-General whether he will state the deep-mined coal production for the first 45 weeks of 1957, compared with the average production in comparable periods during the five years 1951 to 1955 inclusive; what estimate of total coal imports and exports he has now made for 1957; and what further steps he now proposes to take to relieve the national economy of the damaging effects of continued purchase of United States coal.
§ Mr. RentonThe production was 181,300,000 tons compared with 182,700,000 tons. Imports in 1957 are expected to total about 3 million tons and exports about 7 million. No further imports have been authorised beyond existing contracts, and the Coal Board is working out arrangements for meeting the deficiency in future from home supplies.
§ Mr. NabarroDoes not this show that coal production over the first 45 weeks this year is lower than the average over the first three or four years after the return of a Tory Government? Can he give us an assurance, especially having regard to the poor financial showing of the National Coal Board in the second and third quarters of this year, that he will not allow the National Coal Board to wreck by coal price increases the Government's anti-inflationary policy?
§ Mr. RentonAnswering the first part of my hon. Friend's question, I am glad to be able to point out that deep-mined production this year is appreciably higher than in the two previous years. I hope that my hon. Friend will take some comfort in that. Answering the last part of his question, the National Coal Board, 782 far from trying to wreck the Government's anti-inflationary policy, intends to do all it can to help us to do without imports to the greatest possible extent next year, and to that end it hopes to improve the make of large coal.
§ Mr. NabarroIt is about time the Board did something about it.