HC Deb 13 March 1945 vol 409 cc33-4W
Mr. H. Lawson

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will consider reducing the price of opencast coal of low calorific value supplied for domestic use so that the consumer pays approximately the same amount of money for a given amount of heat whatever the quality of the coal purchased.

Major Lloyd George

The retail price of opencast coal supplied for domestic use is fixed Regionally on the basis of the prices charged for supplies of deep-mined coal of comparable quality. It would be impracticable to fix the price of domestic coal, whether opencast or deep-mined, solely by reference to its calorific value as other factors, such as size, cleanliness and volatile properties affects its value for domestic use.