In general, distributed coal stocks are high. Power stations have about seven weeks' supply in hand, the gas industry enough for 3½ weeks; steel for two weeks and other large industrial coal-users for between two and three weeks, on average. Total distributed coal stocks amount to 18 million tons.

I cannot, of course, rule out the possibility that some individual consumers may be facing early difficulties. So far, however, only the wool-textile industry has expressed concern to me about the risk of early shortage.