asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether owners of plant using oil for heating purposes are required to convert their furnaces to use coal; and will compensation be paid by the State or will a contribution from public funds be made towards the costs of conversion?

For some time past consumers of imported oil, both for heating and industrial purposes, have been required to convert their plants to use such home produced fuels as have been available. Until recently these conversions have been confined to relatively large oil consuming plants and mainly to creosote/pitch mixture. The increased demands of the Services for oil, make it necessary that smaller consumers should convert their plants wherever practicable to use coke or anthracite. I regret that it is not possible to make any contribution towards the cost from public funds.