§ 42. Mr. P. Robertsasked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is aware that the increase of 10s. a ton in the winter price of coal bears hardly on old age pensioners who need more coal than most people and usually have little storage facilities; and, in view of this, whether he will issue instructions to the distributors to spread the 10s. rise evenly over the whole year to those who can produce an old age pension book.
§ Mr. Joynson-HicksThe Summer-Winter prices scheme, as applied in the North of England, provides for a decrease of 10s. per ton in the summer as well as an increase of 10s. per ton in the winter. All people, therefore, can buy coal in summer at a reduced price. It is true186W that people with limited storage space cannot buy as large a proportion of their annual supplies at summer prices as those with more storage space, but I fear that it would not be practicable to operate a separate pricing scheme for this class of consumer.