§ 70. Mr. BATEYasked the Lord Privy Seal whether the International Hydrogenation Patents Company has been 1374 registered for the extraction of fuel oil from coal, and whether it is operating in any part of this country; and is he aware that the names of the directors of this company are the names of foreign gentlemen?
§ Mr. SHINWELLI have been asked to reply. I understand that the information which has appeared in the Press concerning the formation of the International Hydrogenation Patents Company is substantially correct. It is stated that it is part of an arrangement between the interests in this and other countries which hold the principal patent rights and technical information concerning the hydrogenation process for a pooling of those rights and information, with the Object of securing the proper development of this process. The Company has not been registered in this country, but has its headquarters on the Continent, and as it is to be expected with a Company of this kind, its directorate is international in character. Imperial Chemical Industries, Limited, which is principally interested in the patents rights in this country, is a party to the arrangement, and is represented on the directorate by Lieut.-Colonel G. P. Pollitt, D.S.O. The Company is not an operating company.
§ 71. Mr. BATEYasked the Lord Privy Seal if it is the intention of the Government to build by-product plants for the extraction of fuel oil from coal under State ownership?
§ Mr. SHINWELLI regret that it is not yet possible to add anything to the statement on the question of the production of oil from coal which was made by the Lord Privy Seal during the Debate on Unemployment on the 16th April.