§ Mr. Adleyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment why his Department purchased American-originated mechanical oil recovery equipment when better, less expensive British equipment is available as already purchased by his Department; if he will indicate the respective price of the British equipment and the American; and what are the respective rates of oil pick-up of the two alternatives.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergThe purchase of equipment of this kind is carried out by the Department of the Environment on the professional advice of Warren Spring laboratory. The laboratory has published reports on both the types of device referred to by my hon. Friend which show 99W average oil recovery rates of 5 tons an hour for the dearer machine, and 3 tons an hour for the cheaper one. It is not the Department's practice to reveal tender prices.