§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the likely costs of a Lurgi gasifier incorporating British technology for the production of synthetic natural gas and that of pilot plants being undertaken in the United States of America and Canada.
§ Mr. EadieBritish Gas informs me that a United States consortium is investing $10 million in a research programme currently being undertaken by the Corporation at its Westfield Development Centre in Fife, using the Lurgi gasifier to develop processes for the production of SNG. Encouraging results have been achieved but it is not possible at this stage to provide cost estimates.