§ Mr. JESSONasked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that there has recently been a serious shortage in the coal allocated to the merchants of the Walthamstow area by his Department, particularly to those merchants who supply large numbers of small working-class consumers; and if he will at once take steps to have these restrictions removed and see that the Walthamstow area receives its fair share of whatever coal there is distributed?
§ Sir A. GEDDESNo alteration has been made in the quantity of coal allocated to the merchants in the Walthamstow area. The quantity received by them has, however, been insufficient owing to the inability of the Great Eastern Railway to transport the coal during the greater part of October and November. I am informed that the situation has improved during the last two weeks, and efforts will be made to maintain the improvement.