§ Mr. Georgeasked the Paymaster-General what recent progress has been made in the investigation of possible methods of converting coal into chemicals, gas and oil; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir I. Horobinasked As the House will be aware, the Ministry of Power, in conjunction with other Government Departments and outside interests, has been carrying out research and development work on the problems of processing coals to produce efficiently chemicals, gas for fuel purposes, and various types of hydrocarbon oils. In view of the need to make the best use of our coal resources, my noble Friend feels that the time has come when this work and any other possibilities which may offer prospects of expanding the use of coal for these purposes should be reviewed by an authoritative and independent body.
He has accordingly decided, after consultation with Sir Alexander Fleck, Chairman of his Scientific Advisory Council, to set up a Committee with the following terms of reference:
To review the work that has been done in recent years on the development of processes in which coal is the basic raw material and which will produce marketable products of a chemical or a gaseous or liquid hydro-carbon type; and to make recommendations as to the direction of further research and development work on any such processes which appear to the Committee to hold promise of industrial application and as to the type of organisation or organisations best suited to carry out such work.He has been fortunate to secure the services of Mr. A. H. Wilson, F.R.S., as Chairman of this Committee. The other members will be Mr. M. A. L. Banks, Mr. Henry Benson, C.B.E., Mr. H. E. Collins, C.B.E., Captain W. Gregson, C.B.E., Dr. R. Holroyd, Mr. W. K. Hutchison, C.B.E., Dr. M. A. Matthews, and Mr. B. E. A. Vigers.The Secretary of the Committee will be Mr. W. R. G. Bell of the Ministry of Power, to whom all communications regarding the work of the Committee should be addressed.
The Report of the Committee will be presented to Parliament.