Mr. Slaterasked the Minister of Fuel and Power what our actual stock position of coal was at the end of May this year; how this figure compares with the end of May last year; and what response he has received to his appeal from industrial concerns to take all the coal that is made available to them from the National Coal Board in the building up of their stocks over the summer months.
§ Mr. Geoffrey LloydIndustrial and total distributed stocks of coal at the end of May were 37 and 13.9 million tons respectively compared with 4.5 and 15.0 million tons respectively a year before. So far this summer industry has taken more coal than in the corresponding period of last year but, because of the rise in consumption, stocks have not risen to the extent that is desirable. It remains essential, therefore, that industrial consumers should continue to take all the coal that is offered to them.