Captain CRAIGasked the President of the Board of Trade whether the shortage of coal in the manufacturing districts in the North of Ireland is very great and is having a very serious effect on industry, and that many mills and factories are so near the end of their stocks that unless coal is imported into the country in large quantities within a few days many factories must close down; and whether he will take immediate steps to provide the necessary transport for the carriage of coal to the North of Ireland and thereby avert a very serious dislocation of trade?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANArrangements have been made to supply additional quantities of coal to Ireland as soon as the necessary shipping is available. The hon. Member will, of course, be aware of the strike which at present prevails at Belfast. This considerably increases the difficulty of supplying the North of Ireland, a difficulty accentuated by the refusal of dockers at the Clyde to load boats for Ireland.