§ 19. Mr. Ethertonasked the Secretary for Mines whether, if gas undertakings adopt the request contained in his letter to them, dated 30th April, 1940, by installing or extending benzole plants, he will give an assurance that they will, for that purpose, be guaranteed an appropriate additional supply of coal, so that the money expended on such plants will not be wasted; and whether the price they receive for benzole will be co-related to the price of coal and not coupled to the pool price of petrol in the Gulf of Mexico?
§ Mr. GrenfellI can assure the hon. Member that every endeavour will be made to provide adequate supplies of coal 13 for gas works, particularly where these are recovering benzole. As regards the second part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which was given to the hon. Member for Holland with Boston (Mr. Butcher) on 23rd April on this subject.
§ Mr. ButcherWill the Minister do his utmost to get a more satisfactory result at an early date?
§ Mr. GrenfellYes, Sir, but the question of prices does not fall under my Department; it is a matter which is answer able by the Department of the Secretary for Petroleum Supplies.
§ Mr. StephenI thought that we were to get drive with the new Government.