§ Mr. Grovesasked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he will consider how best to secure the utilisation of the hundreds of fallen or likely trees for domestic fire-heating; and whether he will consult with the Minister of War Transport in order to arrange for the delivery of such to local authorities from whence they could be made use of?
Major Lloyd GeorgeYes, Sir. My Department has given a great deal of attention to this problem in consultation with other Government Departments concerned. The problem is not an easy one, however, because the majority of this timber is situated in rural areas, is widely scattered, and it would obviously not be possible, under present conditions, to employ a great deal of labour and long transport hauls, in order to bring it into urban areas. Local collection schemes have been organised by Local Authorities in response to my appeal, 65 such schemes are at present in operation. I am giving my continuous attention to this matter and I hope to be able to extend these schemes during the coming months.