§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will take steps to ensure that sufficient smokeless fuels are made available for the domestic market.
§ Mr. Giles ShawThe supply of smokeless fuels to the domestic market is primarily a matter for the National Coal Board and the distributive trade. I understand that where 473W the NCB or other normal sources are unable to supply adequate quantities of fuel the trade is exploring alternative sources of supply, including imports, to meet demand. Generally, these efforts appear to have been successful, and, despite the difficulties, I am not aware of any cases where supplies have not been maintained to the most needy customers (the old, the sick and those with young children) who rely on solid smokeless fuels.