§ Mr. Owenasked the Minister of Power if he is satisfied with the available supplies of coal and smokeless fuels in the London area; and whether he will make a statement giving as much detail as possible.
§ Mr. PeytonI would refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend gave to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for South Fylde (Colonel Lancaster) on 25th February. As a result of the measures there described, the National Coal Board increased its dispatches of coal from the pits for the domestic market beyond the record levels of earlier weeks to 764,000 tons in the week ended 23rd February, nearly 200,000 tons more than a year ago. A large proportion of the increase was directed to London and the South, where, despite difficulties of distribution and exhaustion of stocks at depots the merchants have maintained deliveries at an abnormally high rate in an endeavour to meet exceptional demands. The high demand for coke and other smokeless fuels is also causing difficulty. Coke is still being brought in from other areas in order to reinforce production in South London. The National Coal Board is increasing its supplies of Sunbrite to the area as a whole.