§ Viscount DUNCANNONasked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been called to the great shortage of coal in the districts of Cumberland and Westmorland lying along the line of the Eden Valley; whether during the week ending 13th March only 27 tons of coal arrived at the nine depôts supplied by the North Eastern and Midland Railways, although 1,500 households are supposed to be supplied in that district from these depôts; and whether he will give instructions to the North Eastern Railway Company to give a better supply with the wagons which have been placed at their disposal for the purpose?
§ Sir E. GEDDESFrom information supplied by the railway company it appears that from the 8th to the 11th March, inclusive, 84 wagons of coal were dispatched from the Lambton and Hetton Collieries for land sale in Cumberland, and from the 8th to the 12th March, inclusive, nine wagon-loads were received at Penrith from the collieries, and on the latter date three wagons were dispatched from the collieries to Penrith. The hon and gallant Member will note that there is considerable divergence between these figures and those given in his question. Everything possible is being done from the transport point of view to maintain the supply of coal for the district in question from the colliery allocated to supply it.