§ Mr. SPOORasked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he will give figures showing what amount of the total coal-fuel requirements of the railways and other enterprises under the control of the Government of India are purchased in India; and whether it is the policy of the Government of India and the enterprises under their control in making purchases to give a preference to coal produced in India to that produced elsewhere where the difference in price and quality is not extravagant?
§ Earl WINTERTONMore than 99 per cent. of the coal used by the Indian railways is Indian coal. The amount of coal used by Government for other purposes is comparatively trifling, but the proportion of Indian coal is probably about the same as on the railways. The policy of the Government of India is as stated in the last part of the question.