§ Mr. Edelmanasked the President of the Board of Trade whether in view of the shortage of soft woods in the Coventry area, he will arrange for bulk supplies to be brought into this district immediately from the stores where they are at present lying.
§ Mr. Belcher:Timber generally is in short supply, but I am not aware of any particular shortage in the Coventry area. If my hon. Friend has any specific cases in mind, I shall be glad to inquire into them.
§ Mr. Edelmanasked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in order that stock holders and users of timber in Coventry may not be penalised by the uneven distribution of timber stocks which is involving them in heavy transport charges, he will cancel the extra cost for carriage of the timber from other areas beyond the equalisation charge allowed under the provisions of the Timber Control Orders.
§ Mr. Belcher:The equalisation charge on imported timber has been abolished and prices are now on an ex-ship basis, to which, of course, have to be added landing costs and cost of transport to the place where delivery is made. On the average, prices to the consumer remain substantially unchanged, but, as before the war, delivered prices in inland areas are naturally higher than at the port.