§ 25. Mr. Croninasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a further statement as to the adequacy of coal stocks for the rest of this winter.
§ 48. Mr. Skinnerasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will make a further statement on the fuel situation.
§ Sir J. EdenTotal stocks of coal at 20.1 million tons are 12.2 million tons lower than a year ago. This rundown means that power stations are operating on narrow margins. Electricity supplies are, therefore, vulnerable to any interruptions in fuel deliveries. Severe weather would, of course, exacerbate the position. The Government hope that the decision to free coal imports will help.
Supplies of oil and gas should be adequate.