§ Mr. Georgeasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will make a statement on the closure of 20 schools in the last week and the possible closure of 20 schools in the current week as a result of Walsall being unable to obtain an adequate supply of oil.
§ Dr. John CunninghamI have been asked to reply.
I understand that the heating oil contract in this case was let to a distributor who normally depended on the international spot market for a substantial part of his supplies and who has been unable or unwilling to buy on that market at recent price levels. Allocation from his United Kingdom supplier was insufficient 802W to meet the overall demand from his customers. I am glad to say that, as a result of intervention by my officials with the company and its United Kingdom supplier, supply has been restored to Walsall schools.