Mr. Liddellasked the Secretary for Mines whether he will request the departmental committee which will investigate the rise of 90 per cent. in coal prices to estimate the effect of the rise upon domestic fuelling, transport, lighting, and other public utility services, and upon the cost of the production of food, of building materials, and essential manufactured articles included in the wage earners' cost-of-living index for 1937 as compared with July, 1914?
§ Captain CrookshankI am bringing my hon. Friend's suggestion to the notice of the committee, but I must leave it to the committee to deal with its wide terms of reference in such manner as it thinks fit.
§ Mr. Emeryasked the Secretary for Mines whether he will include in the terms of reference to the committee dealing with the high cost of coal to the public the question as to what extent the increases in pithead prices have put up the cost of living of wage earners not employed in the mining industry, apart from increasing the cost felt by all wage earners?
§ Captain CrookshankNo, Sir. As my hon. Friend will see from the reply I gave426W on Tuesday to my hon. Friend the Member for Wallsend (Miss Ward) the terms of reference to the committee deal with distributive costs and not pithead prices.