§ 158. Commander Purseyasked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is aware that customers in Hull able to store and buy large quantities of coal have receivedmore than their share of the percentage of coal supplied to the city, whereas small customers unable to do so have not received their percentage share; and what steps he proposes to take to ensure that small customers receive their fair share before the end of the present allocation on 30th April.
§ Mr. ShinwellThe present restrictions do not permit of the stocking of large quantities of coal and summer stocking licences were granted to less than 1 per cent, of all consumers in Hull. I am making further inquiries into the question of maldistribution of supplies and will communicate with my hon. and gallant Friend.
§ 159. Commander Purseyasked the Minister of Fuel and Power the percentage of the allocation of coal to Hull actually supplied to the merchants during the 17weeks ended 23rd February, and the average weekly amount which should have been supplied to each registered customer during that period.
§ Mr. ShinwellReceipts from collieries by merchants in the Hull district during the 17 weeks ended 23rd February were 90.7 per cent, of their allocation, and these, together with coal withdrawn from stock during the same period, permitted disposals estimated to average just over16cwt. during the 17 weeks, or just under one cwt. per week.
§ 160. Commander Purseyasked the Minister of Fuel and Power the percentage of the allocation of coal for registered domestic customers in Hull actually supplied to the Hull Co-operative Society and other merchants, respectively, during the 17weeks ended 23rd February; and 344W whether, as the co-operative society has the largest number of customers, mostly giving small orders, he will investigate why the society has been receiving a much smaller percentage than the other merchants.
§ Mr. ShinwellReceipts of coal by the Hull Co-operative Society during the 17 weeks ended 23rd February amounted to 88 per cent, of their allocation compared with 91 per cent, received by other Hull merchants. Such minor differences which, in general, are due to varying output at the supplying collieries, are not unusual and are unavoidable, so that in my opinion no useful purpose would be served by a special investigation of this case. To adjust the relative deficiency of about 600 tons, the society was allotted on 21st February over 200 tons from reserve stocks in the city and was offered a further 440 tons from an ex-military dump at Bridlington. This offer was refused by the society.