§ Sir R. Glynasked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he is aware that coal merchants in the area south of the Thames are experiencing great difficulty in supplying their customers with the basic allocation of fuel owing to non-deliveries from the collieries; that some merchants have recently been without fuel for as long as a fortnight at a time, and that since they are only receiving 80 per cent. of their allocation they have no ground stocks on which to rely; and whether, in view of the hardship such a state of affairs inflicts on the population of this area, he will take steps to see that supplies to the merchants are improved and expedited.
§ Mr. P. Noel-BakerWhile there has been some under-delivery to merchants in the south against their house coal allocations this winter, though not to the extent suggested by the hon. Member, supplies to depots in the Abingdon, Wallingford, Farringdon and Wantage districts have been somewhat above the level for the south as a whole and my inquiries have disclosed no evidence of any special difficulty in this area. At the same time arrangements have been made which should result in an increase in deliveries to merchants in this area and elsewhere.