asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what steps he is taking to ensure that there will be a sufficient supply of anthracite available for hotels in the rural areas catering for the tourist industry, and particularly in the Highlands of Scotland.

A recent rearrangement of supplies of Scottish anthracite (by concentrating them in Scotland) should, if output is maintained, assist the general situation in Scotland. More generally, and bearing in mind that the needs of consumers whose appliances need anthracite of special sizes are catered for under a special distribution scheme worked out between the National Coal Board, the distributors and the appliance makers, the supplies of anthracite likely to be available should be sufficient to meet reasonable requirements.