§ Mr. DUNCAN MILLARasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he cart state what the present coal requirements of the brewing and malting trades amount to and the stocks of coal at present in their hands; whether any system of coal rationing has been applied to these industries; and, if so, what scale of allowances has been fixed?
Sir A. STANLEYThe present requirements of the brewing and malting trades may be roughly estimated at about 900,000 tons of coal per annum. The stocks held by individual trades are not at present available. No system of rationing has yet been applied to any industry, but I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave yesterday to the hon. Member for Lincoln as to the steps which have been taken with a view to securing a reduction in coal consumption in the brewing trade.
§ Sir WILLIAM COLLINSasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the shortage of coal supply in the borough of Derby and neighbourhood, the closing down of the Kilbourne Colliery, the inability of dealers to supply their registered customers, and the depletion of stocks set aside for winter emergencies; and what action he proposes to take to meet present and prospective requirements?
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Sir A. STANLEYThe closing of the Kilbourne Colliery withdrew supplies from the borough of Derby. The allocation of these supplies to other collieries presented considerable difficulties, in view of the prevailing shortage of output, but arrangements were made to transfer as many of the men as possible to neighbouring pits, and the position has now been restored. To fill the gap during the period of dislocation an emergency supply of 200 tons was sent to Derby.