§ Major GLYNasked the Secretary for Mince what has been the development of coke-oven plants in England and Wales; if he is aware of any instances where gas is being pumped under pressure from such plants to large cities; and whether the sale of coke and by-products under the existing conditions of industrial depression shows a profit in working the plants?
§ Mr. SHINWELLStatements made in the report of the Departmental Committee on Area Gas Supply issued in March, 1930, indicate that coke-oven development has tended towards an increase of over capacity and the erection of central coking plants serving several collieries. A further development is the substitution of beehive ovens by by-product recovery ovens. Thus in 1913 of the total coal carbonised at coke-ovens in England and Wales, 53.7 per cent. was carbonised at by-product ovens, whereas in 1929, the latest year for which information is at present available, the proportion was 95.6 per cent. In 1929, 10,125 million cubic feet of coke-oven gas were purchased by 29 gas undertakings. A list of these undertakings is given on page 41 of Part I of the Board of Trade Return relating to all authorised gas undertakings in Great Britain for the year 1929. I have no information regarding the last part of the question.