§ 102. Mr. Deedesasked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether, in view of the fact that differences in the price of domestic coal frequently bear no relation to differences in its quality, he will say how domestic coal is graded and priced.
§ Mr. P. Noel-BakerThe retail price of domestic coal is made up of a pithead price, the actual cost of transport from the pit to the retail merchant's depot and the costs of distribution from the depot to the household consumer. The National Coal Board fix the pithead price having regard to the quality of the coal and consequently differences in quality are always reflected in the retail price. It is true, however, that occasionally price variations due to quality are obscured by price variations due to the cost of transport from the pit as it is sometimes necessary to supply a consuming area with coals of a similar quality from pits at varying distances.