§ 27. Mr. Darlingasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will amend the provisions of the Clean Air Act to allow local authorities to supply efficient coke-burning stoves, without any increase in cost and charges, to householders in smoke-controlled areas, so that they can satisfactorily burn the grades of coke which the gas boards supply to merchants as smokeless domestic fuel.
§ Mr. CorfieldWhere supplies of smokeless fuels suitable for open fires are inadequate, my right hon. Friend is prepared to consider using the existing grant provisions of the Act to encourage the use of stoves. He does not consider it necessary to amend the Act for that purpose.
§ Mr. DarlingMay I take it from that reply that the financial provisions will allow coke-burning stoves to be put into these houses and the other grates to be 1487 taken out without any increased cost either to the local authority or to the domestic consumer?
§ Mr. CorfieldAs I understand the position, the proportion of the expense borne by the Exchequer and the local authority remains exactly the same whatever the type of stove. The criterion here is whether or not there are adequate supplies of appropriate solid fuels for burning on open fires.