HC Deb 29 June 1972 vol 839 cc405-6W
Mr. Laurance Reed

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what work is being done in the United Kingdom on the conversion of coal into oil.

Mr. Emery

Research and development work on the conversion of coal into oil is being carried out in countries where the ratio of coal to oil prices is more favourable to such processes than in the United Kingdom. The progress of the work in this field is kept under review by the scientists of the National Coal Board and the Department, but at the moment no further work is being undertaken.