§ Mr. Normantonasked the Secretary of State for Energy what steps are being taken in British industrial co-operative research organisations to study ways in which significant energy savings can be made throughout British Industry; which research association is undertaking the work; and by whom this work is being financed.
§ Mr. MeacherI have been asked to reply.
By agreement with my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for the Environment and the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food I am also replying on behalf of their Departments.
One of the prime aims of the research associations in the course of the co-operative research and development work they undertake for their industries is the conservation of industrial resources, including energy. Hitherto, my Department has supported such work through general purposes grants for co-operative research, but this scheme is now being changed to one of financial support for specific projects, approved by my Requirements Boards. These include the following:
by the Launderers', Rubber and Plastics, and Leather Manufacturers' Research Associations. The Cotton, Silk and Manmade Fibres Research Association and 321W those for the knitting and woolen industries are also activity preparing projects aimed at conserving energy.
The Department of the Environment has funded performance studies by the Heating and Ventilating Research Association on district heating for some years. It has recently awarded the association a selective grant meeting half of the cost of its co-operative work on energy conservation; this covers the design and use of building services for minimum energy use.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has commissioned the Campden Food Preservation Research Association to carry out the following project: Determination of typical maximum steam demands for canning industry operations; measurement of steam flow rates in pipe systems representative of full-scale factory systems.
In addition, the British Food Manufacturing Industries Research Association, as part of its information services which are supported by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, has issued a report reviewing ways in which the food industry might effect savings of fuel and energy generally.