§ Mr. Beaneyasked the Minister of Power if he is aware of the advances in the field of research in the extraction of petrol from hydrocarbons in coal and the production of natural gas from coal, made by the United States coal industry; and if he will investigate these methods.
§ Mr. Frederick LeeClose co-operation has been established between the National Coal Board and those responsible for planning coal research in the United States, and I am kept informed of the progress of American experiments in this field. I have dealt in my previous Answer with research being carried out in this country into the production of gas from coal; there is no case at present for resuming investigation in this country of oil from coal processes.