The reduction of exports and the freeing of fuel oil have come - if I may put my case moderately - a bit late, and even now we do not know whether the importation of coal will be in time to stave off a serious Crisis in the New Year.

Discussions over the past few days suggest that a number of the 140 drug and alcohol rehabilitation centres in England and Wales face an immediate Crisis in the New Year when they will have to consider sending out redundancy notices to their staff.