§ Mr. Bateyasked the Secretary for Mines who will perform the duties of Chairman 1207W of the Coal Commission during the time the present Chairman is performing other duties?
§ Mr. LloydI assume that the hon. Member has in mind that fact that the Chairman of the Coal Commission has been asked to act in an emergency as one of the Regional Commissioners for the London area. It can be anticipated that in an emergency which made it necessary for the Regional Commissioners to proceed to their districts the work of the Coal Commission would be suspended or, at any rate, very much curtailed. The time which Sir Ernest Gowers is required to give in normal times in anticipation of the duties which he would undertake in an emergency is not sufficient to interfere with his duties as Chairman of the Coal Commission.