40. Mr. Edwardsasked the Secretary for Mines the total cost to the Government to date of the hydrogenation experiment at Billingham, and when will Government liability cease, has any money been paid to Imperial Chemical Industries, directly or indirectly, in connection with the experiment; and, in view of the Government assistance and the urgent necessity of determining the success or otherwise of this process of producing oil from coal, how soon he can promise a statement on the subject?
§ Captain CrookshankAs regards the first two parts of the question, there has been no direct cost to His Majesty's Government in this matter, unless the hon. 1845 Member has in mind the revenue which would have accrued if the spirit produced had been taxed at the same rate as imported spirit. In regard to the last part of the question I am not yet in a position to add anything to the replies I have given on several occasions recently to similar inquiries, though I fully appreciate the desire of hon. Members to receive early information on this subject.
Mr. EdwardsIs the Minister aware that it is exactly 12 months since I first asked for this information? Does he not feel that it is of great importance and that he should expedite the report?
§ Captain CrookshankThat is what I said in the last part of my reply.
§ Mr. HardieIs it not a fact that the people owning this plant at Billingham have no desire to give the information to the Government or to anybody else, and that the Government have no desire to force them to give it?
44. Mr. David Adamsasked the Secretary for Mines whether he has any information as to the possible re-starting of the low-carbonisation plant at Seaham?
§ Captain CrookshankI have no information beyond a report in the Press at the end of January to the effect that the company concerned were expecting an offer to purchase their business.
Mr. AdamsArising out of that expected reply, will the Minister make further inquiries and let me know the latest on this subject?
§ 58. Mr. Shinwellasked the Secretary for Mines the number of processes for the conversion of coal into oil which are known to his Department; the number which have been started and abandoned; and how many can be regarded as commercial propositions?
§ Captain CrookshankMy Department has some information concerning about 150 processes for the conversion of coal into oil, particulars of which have become available during recent years. Many of these have not been developed beyond the laboratory stage. About 25 have operated on a commercial or semi-commercial scale in this country and about half this number are still in operation. My Department has not sufficient 1846 information of the financial results achieved to say how many of these processes can be regarded as commercial propositions.
§ 59. Mr. Shinwellasked the Secretary for Mines whether, when oil from coal processes are tested by the Fuel Research Board and pass the test required, they can be regarded as commercial propositions.
§ Captain CrookshankTests undertaken by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research on low temperature carbonisation plants cannot settle whether a process can be regarded as a commercial proposition, if by that the hon. Member means that it is likely to be commercially successful. The object of these investigations is to place in the hands of those interested accurate technical data scientifically determined by impartial persons.
§ Mr. J. GriffithsAre the Fuel Research Board kept in touch with or informed of the experiments at Billingham?
§ Captain CrookshankThey are kept informed of everything which is relevant to the work they have to do.
§ Mr. WhiteCan the hon. and gallant Gentleman give an indication of the number of processes which have been tested by his Department and say whether inventors are availing themselves of the facilities which he offers?
§ Captain CrookshankI could not say that without notice.