25. Mr. B. Taylorasked the Paymaster-General what general direction he has given to the National Coal Board to review its coal preparation methods, especially of small coal.
§ Sir I. HorobinNone, Sir.
Mr. TaylorIs the Minister aware of the large amount of stocks of this kind of coal, particularly in the East Midlands, amounting, I understand, to 8 million tons? Could not his Department and the Coal Board get together to see whether something useful could be done?
§ Sir I. HorobinThis is primarily the business of the National Coal Board which, on the whole, is not doing too badly in the matter. The Board must find new methods, if there are any, before it can improve what it is doing now. It cannot simply be done by a committee saying, "Let us have better prepared coal".