§ Mr. Woofasked the Secretary of State for Industry what research and development has taken place by his Department into effective industrial refinery processes for producing proteins from petroleum.
Mr. Alan WilliamsPractically all of the research and development on production of protein from petroleum hydrocarbon derivatives has been undertaken by industrial companies.
§ Mr. Woofasked the Secretary of State for Industry how far the large and unforeseeable increase in the price of oil will retard research in industrial processes for the extraction of single cell proteins.
Mr. Alan WilliamsIncreases in oil prices have had some effect on developments concerned with the extraction of protein from hydrocarbon derivatives; other factors have also had some influence, including the fall in the price of soya bean. It is not possible to predict at present what retarding effect, if any, these factors will have on future developments.
§ Mr. Woofasked the Secretary of State for Industry how many companies in the EEC countries and in the United Kingdom are obtaining protein from oil feed-stocks; and how far they compete with other sources of proteins.
Mr. Alan WilliamsTwo companies are each currently operating a large-scale pilot plant in the United Kingdom. One of these two companies is associated with the operation of a small commercial plant in France and with two 100,000 tonnes per annum plants which have been built in Italy and which are due to be com28W missioned in the near future. Petroleum-based single cell protein production at present accounts for a negligible proportion of the protein supply.