§ 14. Mr. Grantasked the Minister of Power row many publications each year are sent to members of the public by the National Coal Board; and what is the annual cost.
§ Mr. John MorrisThis information is not available in my Department. I am asking the Chairman of the National Coal Board to write to the hon. Member.
§ Mr. GrantThis is all very well, but is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that it is impossible to challenge expenditure of the nationalised industries unless we can get this information? Is he aware that a large number of my constituents were very annoyed to receive recently an expensive glossy publication of the National Coal Board with free knitting samples in colour? What has this got to do with the Coal Board? Can the Minister do nothing to curb this waste of public money?
§ Mr. MorrisI am afraid that the hon. Member, like some of his colleagues, is suffering from political schizophrenia on this. As recently as 11th March, when moving an Amendment to the Gas Bill in Standing Committee to do with Stamp Duty, he was trying to put the nationalised industries on a par with commercial undertakings. Now, when a commercial 270 undertaking like the National Coal Board sells its products in the manner deemed best for itself, the hon. Member seeks to criticise it.