§ Mr. Harrisonasked the Minister of Fuel and Power, in view of the voluntary arrangements for the limitation of factors' charges, if he is satisfied that there are no charges being made for such services, in excess of the 1s. 6d. per ton, maximum; and what arrangements he has to keep him informed of the actual conditions of this section of the coal distributive trade.
§ Mr. GaitskellUnder the Wholesale Coal Prices Order, 1941, the factors' margin on any class of coal trade is limited to that obtained on comparable business in 1939. Nearly all the factors engaged in the House coal trade, however, agreed to operate a voluntary scheme sponsored by the Chamber of Coal Traders under which this margin was not in any case to exceed 1s. 6d. per ton on house coal. No formal machinery for the systematic ascertainment of factors' charges exists, but I am always prepared to consider and investigate any complaint that charges are214W excessive and I am in fact having further inquiries made into the case about which my hon. Friend has written to me.