87. Miss Wardasked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether, in view of the declared policy of his Department that stone and slate included in deliveries is returnable by the consumer, he will set up a committee to investigate practical methods of financially reimbursing the consumers, merchants and carriers concerned in any returns of rubbish.
§ 95. Mr. Robson-Brownasked the Minister of Fuel and Power what provision he has made to enable coal merchants effectively to remove the high percentage of slate and dirt in present deliveries of coal.
§ Mr. P. Noel-BakerAs my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary said in answer to the hon. Member for Denbigh (Mr. G. Evans) on 3rd April, the settlement of individual complaints about dirt in consignments of coal rests, not with my Department, but between the buyer and 57W the seller in accordance with normal commercial practice. As regards the general problem of dirty coal, the first of a series of meetings between representatives of the Chamber of Coal Traders, the Cooperative Union and the National Coal Board was held on the 4th April, when the whole problem was thoroughly discussed. The Board agreed that it was for them to secure by action at the pits an improvement in the general standard of. quality of house coal, and stated that they had already given instructions for a renewed drive for the production of cleaner coal. The coal merchants have already undertaken, and will continue to take, all practicable steps to pick out large stones and slate from individual consignments; and the Coal Board and the trade are now giving further consideration to the question of allowances for dirty coal, with a view to simplifying the procedure for dealing with complaints. The Domestic Coal Consumers' Council are keeping a close watch on the progress of these discussions; and I propose to do the same. As the Consumers' Council have the matter in hand, I think it would serve no useful purpose to set up another committee, as the hon. Member suggests.