45. Mr. W. M. WATSONasked the Prime Minister whether the low-temperature carbonisation of coal is to form part of the Government scheme for the reorganisation of the coal trade; if so, whether it is intended to proceed by administrative action; and whether it will take the form of assisting private enterprise or by the Government establishing carbonisation plant in various parts of the coalfields?
§ Lord E. PERCYI have been asked to reply to this question on behalf of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. In the opinion of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, it is doubtful whether any of the existing schemes for low-temperature carbonisation, though they contain many elements of promise, have as yet got 532 beyond the experimental stage. Low-temperature carbonisation cannot, therefore, as yet form part of any scheme for the reorganisation of the coal trade. As soon as any process or processes of low-temperature carbonisation are shown to be commercially practicable, it cannot be doubted that private enterprise will rapidly develop them. In the meanwhile, the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research is carrying on its own investigation at the fuel research station, and is giving its assistance in testing results which are obtained elsewhere. The hon. Member will see that in these circumstances the latter part of the question does not for the moment arise.