§ 44. Mr. SHINWELLasked the Secretary for Mines whether, in view of his suggestion that the erection of hydrogenation works at Jarrow should receive further consideration, the Government contemplate taking steps to extend coal-oil production in the near future?
§ 55. Mr. JOELasked the Secretary for Mines whether the Government are prepared at the present time to give any assistance to interests wishing to establish hydrogenation plants in this country, other than by the absence of any excise duty on home-produced petrol?
§ Mr. SHINWELLOn a point of Order. I put my question down to the President of the Board of Trade, because he had made the suggestion, and the fact that it has been handed over to the Secretary for Mines—of which I make no complaint—certainly alters the effect of my 242 question, because I am not asking this question in relation to anything that has been said by the hon. and gallant Gentleman, but in relation to something that was said by the President of the Board of Trade.
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe rule that has been followed in this case is that which is always followed, of transferring the question to the Minister most concerned. There is no indication in the question of any previous speech or anything of that kind.
§ Mr. SHINWELLWith great respect, this does seem to me to involve a point of principle. The President of the Board of Trade made a suggestion to the effect indicated in the question, and it was upon that reference that I ventured to put down the question. It has been handed over to the hon. and gallant Gentleman, but it was addressed to the President of the Board of Trade.
§ Miss WILKINSONMay we know exactly where we are going to be in this matter? One Minister makes a statement giving us assurances; the Prime Minister contradicts it; and then, when a question is put to the Minister, it is handed on to someone else. Where are we?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat question opens up a rather wide subject.
§ Captain CROOKSHANKSo far as the development of the hydrogenation process is concerned, the Government does not consider it feasible, until more definite results are available of the commercial scale experiment which is being carried out at Billingham, to decide whether, in order to secure the further development of the process, any revision is necessary in the form or measure of assistance which is afforded to such processes by the British Hydrocarbon Oils Production Act, 1934, which is very considerable. The possibility of stimulating the production of oil from indigenous sources in this country is constantly under review, and the Government will not hesitate to take any further steps which they are satisfied would be practicable and desirable to secure this.
§ Mr. SHINWELLIf the Government cannot go beyond what the hon. and gallant Gentleman has indicated, can he explain why his right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade advised that the proposal for the installation of hydrogenation plant at Jarrow and elsewhere should be pursued? What was meant by that reference?
§ Captain CROOKSHANKI have replied on the general position of all these processes, and it is quite clear that when and if any of them are found to be commercially feasible, all sorts of considerations will arise. I think that that is all that my right hon. Friend has in mind—that those interested in the matter should keep alive to the situation which may develop.
§ Mr. SHINWELLCan we get a direct statement of policy from the Government on this matter? Is it not true that contradictory statements have been made by members of the Government, including the Prime Minister and the President of the Board of Trade?
§ Captain CROOKSHANKI cannot accept that any contradictory statements have been made.
§ Miss WILKINSONCould I just ask this question? The Secretary for Mines says that we should go on making inquiries in this matter; but, if the Prime Minister states that the North East Coast is unsuitable for coal hydrogenation, what on earth is the use of the Secretary for Mines telling us to go on inquiring into the matter? This is really a deadly question, and the Government just hand it from one Department to another.
§ Captain CROOKSHANKI think that, if the hon. Lady will very carefully read what my right hon. Friend said the other day, and will not read into it what is not there, she will see what he had in mind.
§ Miss WILKINSONHas the hon. and gallant Gentleman any better authority than the "Times," which gives the statement of the right hon. Gentleman? Where are we? What is happening? This is really very serious, Mr. Speaker. May I appeal to you on a point of Order? I want to ask you if there is any way in which I can raise it? Can I raise it on the Adjournment? Really, these people at Jarrow are simply being made fools of. Could I raise the matter on the Adjournment?
§ Mr. SPEAKERIf the hon. Lady gets the Adjournment, she can raise that question.
§ Miss WILKINSONCould I now give notice?
§ Mr. SPEAKERCertainly.