§ Mr. Hunterasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is in a position to report upon the response made to the circular he recently issued to local authorities in Scotland urging them to collect, store and arrange to supply householders with firewood as a safeguard against a possible shortage of coal during the coming winter?
Mr. JohnstonMy right hon. Friend the Minister of Fuel and Power informs me that since the issue of the circular mentioned, seven schemes submitted by local authorities in Scotland have been approved and some twenty others are now under consideration. The Department of Health's general inspectors take every opportunity of urging upon local authorities the importance of this matter, and my right hon. Friend and I are grateful to the hon. Member for the steps he himself has taken to stimulate the authorities in his constituency.