HC Deb 30 July 1937 vol 326 cc3523-4W
Sir W. Jenkins

asked the Secretary for Mines, what number of schemes has been submitted to his Department from South Wales to extract oil from coal; what number have given satisfactory results; and is the Government prepared to take over any of the schemes or give financial aid to any satisfactory scheme?

Captain Crookshank

A number of proposals have been made to the Government for the establishment of oil from coal plants in the Special Areas, including South Wales, and financial assistance has recently been given to enable a low temperature carbonisation plant to be established in South Wales. As regards the last part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 20th July to three questions by the hon. Members for Pontypool (Mr. Jenkins), Stoke (Mr. E. Smith) and Lewisham West (Sir P. Dawson).