HL Deb 03 April 1974 vol 350 cc1018-20WA
LORD HAWKE

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will encourage research into the production of an engine suitable for farm tractors which could use waste engine sump oil as fuel.

LORD BESWICK

The commercial prospects for an engine specifically designed to run on waste engine sump oil would be insufficient to justify the necessary research and development expenditure in view of the limited quantities of oil which would be available. It is likely that such an engine would be heavier than comparable existing engines and so increase undesirable soil compaction. Much used sump oil is alread collected by garages and utilised for heating pur- poses or reprocessed for further lubrication purposes.

House adjourned at thirteen minutes before eight o'clock.