§ 11. Mr. Hardieasked the Secretary for Mines whether, in view of the report issued by the owners of the hydrogenation plants at Billingham that it is possible to produce petrol at a profit by hydrogenation process, the Government are withdrawing the preference of 8d. per gallon?
§ Captain CrookshankNo, Sir, and I may add that I am unaware of the issue of any such report.
§ Mr. HardieWas the Secretary for Mines present the other day when an hon. Member who had paid a visit to that plant was told that they were making a profit out of it? That being the case, are not the Government going to take away the preference of 8d. per gallon on the oil they are producing?
§ Captain CrookshankNo report has been issued.
§ Mr. HardieAre we to take it that the statement made by the hon. Member for East Middlesbrough (Mr. A. Edwards) has no foundation, that there is no truth in it and that he comes here with a fabrication? Surely the Minister ought to find out whether that statement is true.
§ Mr. ShinwellWill the right hon. Gentleman ascertain from Imperial Chemical Industries whether they are, in fact, making a profit?
§ Captain CrookshankThere are various questions on the Paper dealing with oil, and perhaps the hon. Member will await the answers.
§ Mr. HardieOwing to the unsatisfactory nature of the answer, I give notice that on the first opportunity I will raise this question again.
§ 18. Mr. James Griffithsasked the Secretary for Mines whether he can give any information to the House as to the relative suitability of the Bergius and Fisher-Trapsch processes of hydrogenation in Great Britain; and also as to the cost per gallon of producing petrol by these processes, respectively?
§ Captain CrookshankI would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave yester-day to the hon. Member for Consett (Mr. David Adams).
§ Mr. GriffithsIs the hon. Member aware that in Germany the Bergius process has been scrapped and this new process adopted, and are his Department making any inquiries into the suitability of this new process for English coal in particular?
§ Captain CrookshankPerhaps the hon. Member will look at what I said yesterday.
§ Mr. ShinwellAs this is the last question relating to oil, will the hon. and gallant Member now say whether he will ascertain from Imperial Chemical Industries whether they are in fact making a profit?
§ Captain CrookshankThat point also is covered by what I said yesterday.
§ Mr. PalingDid not the hon. and gallant Member tell my hon. Friend that he was going to give the information in answer to another question, and is this the information to which he refers?