§ Mr. Ogdenasked the Secretary of State for Energy when the report of the Coal Tripartite Research and Development Working Party will be published; and whether the Government intend to provide financial support for development of coal technology.
§ Mr. EadieThe report of this working party, which is published today, recommends that the Government should consider funding up to two-thirds of the cost of projects concerned with using coal to make petrol, chemical feedstocks and substitute natural gas and with new combustion technologies.
The Government accept this recommendation and are prepared to provide up to £20 million towards the estimated total cost of £32 million for these projects over the period to March 1983. The balance will fall to the National Coal Board and the British Gas Corporation.
The Government will consider further financial support for these projects beyond March 1983 as required.