§ Sir A. Hudsonasked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether the Coal Commission have resumed their activities under Part II of the Coal Act, 1938, relating to amalgamations, which they found it necessary to suspend on the outbreak of the war.
Major Lloyd GeorģeThe Commission formally intimated to me last September that they were resuming their efforts to promote individual amalgamations. In view, however, of the continued preoccupation of the industry with war production, and also of the consideration which is being given to the general problem of the future efficiency of the coalmining industry, in particular by the appointment of the Technical Advisory Committee (which has now reported), I suggested to the Commission that they would be justified in suspending these activities for a further period.