§ Mr. FINNEYasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to a communication from a meeting of the Midland Association of Gas Engineers and Managers, which comprises over 100 Midland towns, held in Birmingham on the 11th instant, indicating the difficulty experienced in obtaining adequate supplies of coal, and expressing apprehension at the shortage of gas coal, reserve stocks in several industrial towns being only two or three days, and in the majority less than one week's supply, and asking that gas coal may be given priority in order that reserve stocks may be built up to four weeks' consumption, and also asking that, as many Midland towns are being seriously penalised financially by being required to take coal from outside their geographical area, compensation may be paid; and whether he will indicate the steps that he intends to take in dealing with these matters?
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§ Mr. BRIDGEMANMy attention has been drawn to the meeting referred to. As regards the question of supplies to gas works in the Midland area, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Oxford on the 24th March. I cannot recognise any claim for compensation for extra cost arising out of the present abnormal conditions.