§ 54. Mr. Walkerasked the Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence whether, in view of the recent report of the Committee on Calcium Carbide Production, he will give careful consideration to the coke-oven gas method of carbide production, having regard to the fact that this latter method can be operated in most of the depressed industrial areas, and will also give a stimulus to the production of pig-iron in certain of these areas?
§ Sir T. InskipI am advised that a scheme for the production of calcium carbide by means of coke-oven gas was submitted to and given very careful consideration by the Calcium Carbide Committee before they made the recommendation which has been accepted by the Government.
§ Mr. WalkerAm I to understand that the Government have accepted the recommendations in that report, and can I have an assurance from the right hon. Gentleman that there is no intention on the part of the Government to give a monopoly either to one system or to one factory for the production of calcium carbide?
§ Sir T. InskipI answered a question on 18th November as to the decision of the Government upon the report. With reference to the part of the hon. Gentleman's question concerning monopoly, there is no intention of giving a monopoly to anybody.