§ 52 and 53. Mr. Darlingasked the Minister of Transport (1) what information he sought, in considering the application for his sanction of expenditure, regarding the cost of converting Lots Road Power station from coal to oil-firing equipment; whether he enquired whether the London Transport Executive had invited tenders for modem coal-firing equipment; and whether estimates of running costs of modern coal-firing and oil-firing equipment were examined before he sanctioned the conversion;
(2) why he gave his approval to the conversion of Lots Road electricity power station from coal to oil fuel.
§ Mr. HayIn May, 1962, my right hon. Friend approved in principle an investment proposal from the British Transport Commission for the modernisation of Lots Road power station. In conveying this approval, our officers asked to be kept informed of the further development of 43W London Transport's plans, including those for the firing of the new boilers. The London Transport Executive, after taking the advice of consultants, informed us on 22nd October that the heavy balance of technical advantage lay in favour of oil firing at Lots Road and that the Executive had therefore decided to adopt this method. They considered, from their assessment of relative costs, that the balance of financial advantage also was likely to lie with oil firing.