HC Deb 23 February 1960 vol 618 cc165-6
10. Mr. Wyatt

asked the Minister of Works what representations he has received from the National Coal Board on the proposed conversion of the heating system at Windsor Castle from coke to oil.

Lord John Hope

The National Coal Board recently asked for an opportunity to make proposals for solid fuel to be retained at Windsor Castle. But, as my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary explained to the House on 16th February, it is too late to consider changing the system now being installed.

Mr. Wyatt

Will the Minister use this unhappy incident—[HON. MEMBERS: "Why unhappy?"]—as a lesson for the future and give early notice to the National Coal Board and other authorities interested of installations under his control which are likely to be converted to oil, so that they may look at them in time and suggest more efficient and cheaper ways of running them than by oil?

Lord John Hope

What happens in the future is one thing; this is quite another. The hon. Gentleman is less than fair in suggesting that this particular incident has anything unhappy about it at all.

Hon. Members

Hear, hear.

Mr. Wyatt

The Minister himself admitted it. Is he not aware that last week his Parliamentary Secretary stated that like had been compared with like, but that that is not the case, because since the first plan three years ago, there have been many modern developments in coal utilisation to allow of all the things which can be done by oil to be done more cheaply by coal?

Lord John Hope

Indeed, the whole point is, as the hon. Gentleman himself recognised in the speech which he made on the afternoon of the same day last week, that it is too late in this case to do anything. That is the point, and there is no need to go on about it.