Colonel Clarkeasked the Minister of Fuel and Power (1) what part Great Britain is taking in the investigation initiated on 16th-17th April at Geneva by the Economic Commission for Europe Coal Classification Working Party with a view to adopting a single commercial international system of coal classification;
(2) what steps are being taken by the Economic Commission for Europe Coal Classification Working Party, with a view to the adoption of an international classification of coal by size.
§ Mr. Geoffrey LloydThe United Kingdom has throughout been represented on the Coal Classification Working Party of the Economic Commission for Europe set up in 1949. This Working Party has already formulated interim proposals, which are now under consideration by76W the member Governments, for a scientific system of international classification of hard coals by reference to certain qualities, such as volatile matter content, coking and caking properties, and calorific value. Besides investigating whether this scientific system can be applied commercially, they intend also to consider a classification of hard coals by size, and later by other characteristics such as ash content, sulphur content, etc., and to examine the possibility of classifying brown coals and lignites.