§ 80. Mr. Bowdenasked the Minister of Fuel and Power if the supply position will now warrant the issue of additional coal to retailers to enable them to honour the supplementary allocations of coal approved by the local fuel overseers.
§ 85. Commander Purseyasked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether with the national increase of 20,000 tons of domestic coal per week, Hull merchants are now in a position to make a higher average delivery than the 12½ cwt. per registered consumer, out of the 15 cwt. allocation for the current period, 1st November to 31st January, which they announced was all they anticipated being able to deliver.
§ 86. Commander Purseyasked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether, with the recent increase in the allocation of domestic coal, merchants in the London Borough of Wandsworth are now in a position to deliver the 12 cwt. allocation for 1st November to 31st January to registered consumers who have received only 10 cwt. or less, out of their summer allocation of 15 cwt.
§ Mr. GaitskellAs I announced on 17th December the increase in the allocation of domestic coal represents about 3½ per cent. of the previous weekly allocation, and the average delivery per registered consumer should be increased accordingly. The additional coal will be used in the main to meet cases of hardship including in particular those where consumers receive licences for supplementary quantities from local fuel overseers.
§ 81. Mr. Edelmanasked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he will consult with the National Coal Board with a view to allowing old age pensioners to purchase fixed amounts of coal for their personal use at specially reduced prices.
§ Mr. GaitskellI regret that such a scheme would not be practicable.
§ 84. Commander Purseyasked the Minister of Fuel and Power what number of weeks' supply, or other quantity, of domestic coal merchants are required to retain at the end of the fuel year, 30th April; and what plans have been arranged 177W for merchants to dispose of the other reserve stock in their yards during the next allocation period, 1st February to 30th April.
§ Mr. GaitskellMerchants have been authorised to withdraw from stock to meet current demands within the permitted quantities but care is being taken to ensure that their stocks will not be depleted to an extent which would endanger distribution during the later part of the winter. No minimum end of winter stock levels have been laid down.