12. Mr. J. E. B. Hillasked the Minister of Power what consultations he had with the National Coal Board on the fixing of zone-delivered prices of rail-and road-borne domestic coal.
§ Mr. John MorrisThe National Coal Board consults my right hon. Friend as a matter of course on any proposal to change the general level of coal prices.
Mr. HillIs the Minister aware that the National Coal Board spread the recent 4 per cent. increase in rail freight increases for coal over road-borne as well as rail-borne supplies, with the result of concealing the true cost of relative systems of delivery? Is not this a bad case of two nationalised industries suppressing the results of competition from private enterprise?
§ Mr. MorrisI cannot accept any of the remarks made by the hon. Member. I understand that there have been changes in the freight costs, but the hon. Member must remember that the pithead element of the price of coal has been largely stable since May, 1962.