§ 151. Sir J. Mellorasked the Minister of Fuel and Power why the Midland Gravel Company, Limited, were not informed until 14th September of the decision, taken early in August, that their excavator would be diverted to opencast coal working; and when the new destination was notified to the manufacturer of the excavator.
§ Mr. GaitskellThe Government decision fell to be implemented by an inter-Departmental Allocation Committee whose function is to consider all claims to large excavators. The Ministry of Works, as sponsors for the Midland Gravel Company's claim upon the machine, deferred action until the allocation committee had considered their representations. The committee allocated the machine to opencast coal production and the manufacturer of the excavator was notified of the new destination on 30th August.