§ Colonel DAYasked the Secretary for Mines whether his Department has had under consideration any steps with a view to the utilisation of a large supply of brown coal available in this country, especially for the purpose of cheap electrical generation?
§ Lord E. PERCYI have been asked to reply to this question, on behalf of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. Although there are large deposits of brown coals (or lignites) in many parts of the British Empire, notably Canada and Australia, these coals only occur in the British Isles in impersistent beds of inferior quality and rarely in sufficient development to be mined No steps are under consideration for the special utilisation of these deposits in view of their small economic value, either present or potential.