§ Mr. T. DAVIESasked the President of the Board of Trade, as representing the Coal Controller, whether a local fuel overseer who takes possession, as emergency reserve stock, of the major proportion of a truck of coal consigned to a private consumer with the previous permission of the overseer, is entitled to take the same without payment; if not, whether he is required to refund to the consignee the cost per ton which the latter paid to the merchant and, in default of payment by the local fuel overseer, to whom should application for payment be made; and what remedy is open to the consignee if a remittance is not forthcoming after demand made?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANThe answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. The basis of the refund to the consumer should be the rate per ton which the consumer paid to the merchant for the tonnage of which possession was taken. The local fuel overseer is responsible to the local authority in connection with all expenditure incurred by him, and any complaint such as that indicated in the question should be referred to the local authority. As I stated in my reply to the hon. Member on the 24th November, I shall he glad to have inquiries made into any specific case which may have been brought to his notice.