§ 20. Mr. Jannerasked the Minister of Fuel and Power what is the present position of coal-to-oil conversion schemes; and what is the present estimated aggregate saving of coal in relation to the amount of oil used in this connection.
§ Mr. GaitskellIn reply to the first part of the Question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Jarrow (Mr. Fernyhough) on 18th December last. 2262 Since the start of the conversion programme, fuel oil consumption has increased by 2½ million tons a year, equivalent to roughly four million tons of coal a year. Some of the additional oil is, however, being burnt in new factories and installations or arises from conversions from fuels other than coal and cannot therefore be regarded as resulting from the coal-to-oil conversion programme.
§ Mr. Peter RobertsMay I ask the Minister to give an assurance to those firms which followed his predecessor's advice in putting in these appliances, that they will be able to get a supply of oil?
§ Mr. GaitskellAt the moment, as the hon. Member probably knows, we have had to ask firms to suspend further operations on conversions, but I am hopeful that we shall in due course be able to provide the oil.