§ Captain Pluggeasked the Secretary for Mines whether he is aware of the feeling that local coal controllers should be neutral and not, as is often the case now, themselves coal merchants; and whether he will endeavour to make appointments on the lines suggested?
§ Mr. GrenfellI assume that the hon. and gallant Member is referring not to the local fuel overseers, who exercise certain powers under the Fuel and Lighting Order and the Retail Coal Prices Order and are appointed from persons having no connection with the coal distributive trade, but to the various officers appointed in connection with the House Coal Distribution (Emergency) Scheme. These include depot managers and district house coal officers appointed by the distributive trade to organise co-operation among the merchants in each area on a voluntary basis, acting in close association with house coal officers which I have added to the divisional staff of my Department in the several Civil. Defence regions. Any compulsory powers which it may be necessary in this connection to invoke in the national interest will be exercised only through officers of the Department. I am satisfied that in this manner we shall be making the best possible use of the great experience and extensive machinery of the distributive trade to solve the difficult problems of domestic coal distribution arising out of the war. While much still remains to be done, I am glad to have this opportunity of testifying to the very considerable progress which has already been made in the development of a scheme of such far-reaching importance both to the trade and to the general public, and I am certain that we shall secure full and ready collaboration from all sections of the trade in facing their responsibilities to the nation under the present trying conditions.