§ 57. Sir Stanley Reedasked the Secretary for Mines whether, in view of the importance of conserving petroleum supplies, and at the same time of developing the use of road transport, he will take immediate steps to accelerate the applicaton of producer-gas to lorries, by either reducing the registration charges or advancing from the Treasury the cost of converting petrol vehicles to producer-gas?
§ Mr. LloydI share my hon. Friend's desire to encourage to the utmost possible extent the use of producer-gas for road transport, and I am transmitting his suggestions to Lord Ridley, whose Committee is at work on this question.
§ Sir S. ReedIs my hon. Friend satisfied with the position in which after seven months of war there are only 125 producer-gas vehicles on the road, whereas there are 10,000 on the road in France, and Germany can put 50,000 on the road?
§ Mr. LloydMy information is that a considerable number at present are in course of manufacture, and I would remind my hon. Friend that this problem has to be considered very carefully in relation to the range of suitable fuels available for use in producer-gas vehicles, and that is not altogether an easy matter.