§ Mr. Dryden Brookasked the Minister of Fuel and Power to what extent it will be necessary, this winter, to limit supplies of gas coke to consumers.
§ Mr. P. Noel-BakerIn order to ensure firstly that the gas works have sufficient coke to make as much carburetted water gas as may be required to maintain gas supplies, and, secondly, that coke supplies are maintained to essential consumers, it will be necessary this winter to curtail deliveries of gas coke to other consumers to a level somewhat lower than last winter. Industrial consumers, together with essential non-industrial consumers such as bakeries, hospitals and the like 147W will receive their full requirements. Total supplies to the merchants as a whole will be at about last year's level, but the level of deliveries to individual merchants will necessarily depend upon the proportion of essential consumers that they have to supply. As I explained on Friday, in answer to the Question put to me by my hon. Friend the Member for Durham (Mr. Grey) corresponding reductions will be made by gas works to consumers other than the essential consumers supplied by them direct.