§ 14. Mr. Langford-Holtasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air, taking into account present day costs of purchasing lubricating oil, the present day costs of re-refining used lubricating oil and the price today being received by his Department for waste oil, what saving of public money is expected as a result of the reversal of his policy of having used lubricating oil laundered for re-use.
§ The Under-Secretary of State for Air (Mr. George Ward)I cannot give an exact figure, but we expect to save several thousand pounds a year.
§ Mr. Langford-HoltObviously I cannot ask my hon. Friend for the exact prices, but can he say, as this must obviously have been the basis upon which he made the decision, by what percentage the cost of re-refining used oil and the price of waste oil have fallen?
§ Mr. WardI cannot give the percentage, but I can tell my hon. Friend the basis upon which we arrived at the decision. Our comparison was made between, on the one hand, the cost of new oil less the proceeds from the sale of used oil, and, on the other hand, the cost of re-refining plus transport and other costs.
§ Mr. StokesWould not the whole position be greatly eased if the price of crude oil was reduced?
§ Mr. WardThat is another matter. At the moment the cost of re-refining used oil is greater than that of buying new oil.