§ 6. Mr. Rentonasked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is aware that coal recently delivered from Barnsley Main Colliery, Thorncliffe, to distributors at St. Ives, Hunts, for domestic consumption, contains a considerable amount of slag and is not fit for domestic fuel; and whether he will take steps to ensure that the quality of such coal is to the requisite standard.
§ Mr. ShinwellThe coal in question which consisted of an isolated consignment of five waggons outside the normal allocation appears to have been below average standard. The matter is being followed up with the appropriate area organisation of the National Coal Board to avoid any recurrence.
§ Mr. Asshetonasked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he is aware that the railway companies and other coal consumers are unable to obtain the quality of coal suited to their requirements; and what steps he proposes to take to remedy this situation.
§ Mr. ShinwellIn general, railway companies and other coal consumers are able to obtain suitable qualities of coal, but so long as total requirements are in excess of the available supplies it is inevitable that normal supplies should have to be supplemented with a proportion of inferior or less suitable qualities. The National Coal Board, as part of their future policy, will take all possible steps to increase progressively the availability of the better qualities.