Catalogue description Records of the Coal Consumers' Councils

The Industrial Coal Consumers' Council (ICCC) and Domestic Coal Consumers' Council (DCC) were set up under the Coal Industry Nationalisation Act 1946. They were appointed by the Minister of Fuel and Power after consultation with appropriate representative bodies.

The Councils were charged with considering any matter affecting the sale, or supply whether for home use or export of coal, coke or manufactured fuel for industrial or domestic purposes, which was the subject of a representation made to them by consumers, or referred to them as a matter to which consideration ought to be given, or was referred to them by the Minister. The Councils reported to the Minister when action appeared to them to be necessary, and they were required to report when asked to do so by the Minister. If it appeared that a report from one of the Councils disclosed a defect in the National Coal Board's (NCB) general arrangement for the production, sale or supply of coal, coke or manufactured fuels, the Minister could give the NCB general or specific directions on the subject. Although there was no statutory obligation the NCB, as a matter of practice, always consulted the appropriate Council on intended price changes, and the NCB and the Minister considered the Council's views before such changes were introduced.

The Minister of Power's functions relating to the Councils passed to the Minister of Technology in 1969. Responsibility for the Councils passed to the Department of Trade and Industry in 1970, and the Department of Industry in 1974. In 1984, responsibility passed to the new Department for Trade and Industry (DTI). The ICCC was wound up in 1972. The DCC was abolished in February 1995, when the coal industry was privatised. To safeguard the interests of solid fuel users, and to assist in the transition to the new trade arrangements, the DTI established a new Advisory Group.