Apart from the distribution of electricity, if the industry has been consulted earlier this plan of allocation of coal, or whatever was the best plan, would have been operative long before the Weather Crisis was likely to arise.

I take advantage of the opportunity to put on record an appreciation of the way in which agriculturists and farmers in my constituency coped during the Recent Weather Crisis.

The hon. Member for Walsall, North (Mr. Winnick) said that in the Present Weather Crisis the Government had shown little concern.

Is the Minister aware that the worst of the Weather Crisis occurred in north Nottinghamshire and in north Derbyshire where hundreds of thousands of people were without electricity and water supplies for a considerable period?

The Local Government Association, in its July report, "Weathering the Storm: Dealing with Adverse Winter Weather Conditions in the UK", concluded with the key lesson that should have been learned from last February's Weather Crisis and low salt supplies.