§ Sir W. Jenkinsasked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that a number of collieries in the Neath valleys are at present idle and thousands of men thrown out of employment; that they have orders for an indefinite period in London, the South Coast, and various other places inland, but are unable to get transport facilities and that the Great Western Railway Company have failed to deal with the traffic; and if he will take immediate steps to relieve the congestion so that the miners can be employed and the customers in various parts of the country shall be supplied?
§ Lieut.-Colonel Moore-BrabazonThe position on the Great Western Railway referred to by my hon. Friend is engaging 1719W my close attention. Steps are now being taken which will, I hope, secure an early improvement.
§ Sir C. Rawsonasked the Secretary for Mines why railway companies North of London have been placing an embargo for coal travelling on the southern railways South of the Thames which is being vigorously enforced in spite of the amount of fuel available in the North and of the great shortage in the South; and is the South to look forward to the same shortage as they experienced last year which caused a great deal of hardship to people and industries generally?
§ Mr. GrenfellI am informed that "stops" on goods traffic are imposed by mutual arrangement between the railway companies concerned as circumstances require. Under conditions prevailing in the southern area during the past two months, strict control has been necessary in order to prevent congestion on the lines and in the goods yards. Every possible step is being taken by my Department in consultation with the Ministry of Transport to relieve this congestion and to facilitate the free movement of coal traffic. But in present circumstances local shortages are inevitable, pending the restoration of supplies. I am glad to think that the effects of these interruptions will be mitigated by the heavy stocks which were built up during the summer months.