§ Mr. Kennedyasked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether his attention has been drawn to the speech, a copy of which has been sent to him, of the chief chemist of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company suggesting that the coal industry should be made a source of raw materials 535W for synthetic rubber and plastics; and whether any action is likely on the lines of that suggestion?
§ Mr. T. SmithI trust that, in the future, coal will become, to an increasing extent, a raw material for the manufacture of such products as synthetic rubber and plastics. My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Production explained, on 30th September, in answer to a Question by the hon. Member for Romford (Mr. Parker), why the erection of a plant to make synthetic rubber from coal in this country would not be justified at the present time. As far as plastics are concerned, I would remind the right hon. Member that their manufacture is already largely based on the use of products derived from coal.