§ 17. Mr. James Griffithsasked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he can make a statement indicating what steps are being taken to develop methods and processes of utilising coal, particularly of derivatives from coal; and what his Department is doing in this matter?
Major Lloyd GeorgeWhile my Ministry is not directly responsible for the conduct of research work, it is in close touch with the Fuel Research Station of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, which is carrying out an extensive programme of research into the properties of coal, its utilisation and the utilisation of its by-products. My Ministry is also in touch with the British Coal Utilisation Research Association, the Gas Research Board and other industrial research bodies engaged on important work in this field. Moreover, as my hon. Friend may be aware, the Ministry is in control of the coal tar industry and of the production of benzole. Considerable progress has been made in substituting the liquid products of coal for imported petroleum products and the Ministry has acquired much valuable information bearing on the production and utilisation of coal by-products.
§ Mr. GriffithsDo these various bodies report to the right hon. and gallant Gentleman the findings of their investigations, and does he propose to publish their report?