§ Mr. Coldrickasked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he is aware that the allocation of coal to the Branksome (Dorset) Depot in respect of the No. 15 programme will consist entirely of seaborne supplies, notwithstanding the undertaking to give coal merchants freedom of choice in the matter of supplies; and whether he will consider an alteration in these arrangements.
§ Mr. GaitskellIn the arrangements agreed between the National Coal Board and the distributive trade last February for giving merchants a limited choice of coals, it was made clear that this could not be extended to cover the case of seaborne coal and the attention of all merchants was expressly drawn to this exception in a circular issued by the Chamber of Coal Traders. Substantial quantities of coal must be sent by sea to the South and these supplies are allocated to the depots nearest to the ports. In the No. 15 programme for the coming winter it is therefore necessary, as in the previous two winters, to allocate only seaborne coal to Branksome and the other five depots in the Poole district.