§ 1. Mr. Wyattasked the Minister of Power what progress has been made in implementing his recent undertaking to the hon. Member for Bosworth to consider amending legislation by which exemption would not automatically be given under the Clean Air Act to installations burning fuel oil from Middle East sources.
§ The Minister of Power (Mr. Richard Wood)Both oil-fired and the newer mechanically-fired coal installations are exempt because they make little or no smoke. Amending legislation to deal with sulphur as well as smoke emitted by both coal and oil would be a matter for my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Minister for Housing and Local Government and Welsh Affairs. I understand this would neither be practicable in the present state of scientific and technical knowledge nor likely to serve the purpose the hon. Member has in mind.
§ Mr. WyattDoes the Minister realise that he is being wrongly advised and that in Los Angeles so many people were killed by sulphur from oil in the various smogs which occurred there that legislation was passed preventing the use of any appliances during the winter months which burnt oil containing more 929 than ½ per cent. of sulphur? Does he not realise that 70 per cent. of the oil burnt in this country contains 3 per cent. of sulphur, double the amount in coal, and people are being poisoned by the emission of oil fumes permitted by the Minister of Power at the same time as the coal industry is being ruined?
§ Mr. WoodI do not deny for a moment that sulphur is most obnoxious, but the Beaver Committee reported recently that there was no present prospect of substantially reducing the emission of sulphur oxides from general industry or domestic fires. That is one reason why I do not think that it would be practicable to do what the hon. Gentleman suggests. The other reason is that a ton of oil, as he knows, does the same work as 1½ or 2 tons of coal, and there is, therefore, as my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary said the other day, really no reason to believe that oil burning produces more sulphur than coal.
§ Mr. WyattDoes the Minister not realise that most of the sulphur when coal is burnt remains in the ash and does harm to no one, whereas the sulphur produced by burning Middle East oil, the 3 per cent., goes straight out into the atmosphere and is killing people every day?
§ Mr. WoodThe findings of the Beaver Committee still seem to be relevant and, therefore, I do not think it is practicable to do what the hon. Gentleman would like.