Major Roberts:

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power why an offer of coal made by the South African Government to this country during the last 12 months was not accepted.

Apart from a proposal to exchange South African coal for United Kingdom cement made last December, which on investigation was then found to be impracticable, I am not aware that any offer of coal from South Africa has been rejected.

Major Roberts:

Is the Minister aware that an offer was made? Is he further aware that it was made not so much on the question of cement as on the question of wagons, and are we to assume from his reply that the matter is still under consideration?

Certainly not.