§ 21. Mr. GEORGE HALLasked the President of the Board of Trade whether 927 in view of the progress made in the production of oil from coal by hydrogenation and low-temperature carbonisation processes, the Government will grant such assistance as will enable large-scale plants to be erected; and will the Government consider the erection of some of the plants in South Wales?
§ Dr. BURGINI am not yet in a position to add anything to what was said on this subject by the Prime Minister on 7th November during the Debate on unemployment.
§ 35. Mr. LEWISasked the Secretary for Mines what his Department is doing to encourage investigation as to the possibilities of extracting benzol from coal on a commercial basis?
Mr. BROWNFor a considerable number of years the production of benzol from coal has been carried Oil on a commercial basis. The average annual production of crude benzol during the past three years has amounted to about 48 million gallons.