§ 85. Major Guy Lloydasked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will give a list of the original, amended and supplementary estimates of coal requirements sent to his Department by the Central Electricity Board from the beginning of the year to 10th February.
§ Mr. ShinwellNo estimates of coal requirements were sent by the Central Electricity Board to my Ministry during the period in question. Two estimates were, however, submitted by the Central Electricity Board, the first, during July, 1946, for the period 26th October, 1946, to 25th April, 1947, and the second, on 22nd November, 1946, for the period 30th November, 1946, to 25th April, 1947. For the period 3rd January to 7th February, the original estimate was 640,000 tons per week on average, the revised estimate was 676,000 tons and the actual consumption was 685,000 tons. For the two weeks preceding the crisis (when the weather began to increase consumption and dislocate supplies) the corresponding figures were 627,000, 662,000 and 729,000 tons.