§ 8. Mr. STEPHEN WALSHasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the fact that the Admiralty are in possession of evidence showing the commercial possibility of obtaining oil fuel at remunerative rates from coal within the Home area, he is prepared to consider the advisability of rendering assistance to undertakings of financial soundness operating within the United Kingdom on principles similar to those upon which assistance has been or is to be given to the Anglo-Persian Oil Company?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLMy right hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question. I am not able at present to add to the statements I have made on this subject both in Committee and in answer to questions.
§ Mr. S. WALSHAre the Admiralty in possession of the evidence to which I refer in the first part of the question—that oil fuel can be obtained at remunerative rates in the Home area?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI dealt with this point in my answer some days ago. I pointed out that the difficulty of producing oil at home is not so much the chemical and technical process as the difficulty of disposing of the by-products—the residue. I cannot add anything to the full answer that I then gave.