Oral Answers to Questions — Ministry of Supply. – in the House of Commons at on 1 October 1941.
Sir Granville Gibson
, Pudsey and Otley
asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Supply (1) what annual tonnage of shipping space is being employed for the importation from America of calcium carbide used for the production of acetylene gas for oxygen cutting and welding;
(2) what steps have been taken to encourage the use of home-produced substitute gases available; and whether any recommendations by the Ministry have been opposed by carbide and acetylene interests;
(3) in view of the large amount of carbide imports what further steps will be taken to encourage the use of home-produced alternatives; is any factory for the production of calcium carbide for acetylene gas generation contemplated or under construction in this country; and, if so, when will it be in production, and what percentage of our total requirements will it produce?
Mr Harold Macmillan
, Stockton-on-Tees
The substitute gases available are of limited application. The most important is coal gas and detailed advice has been given twice this year to using industries on its method of application, and they have been urged to use it wherever practicable. This advice is, I am glad to say, widely followed. Other substitute gases are in limited supply. I have no reason to suppose that the use of substitute gases has been limited by Opposition from any interests concerned in carbide and acetylene. There is a factory in this country for the production of calcium carbide and another is in course of erection, but it would not be in the public interest to give particulars of home output or of imports.
The Opposition are the political parties in the House of Commons other than the largest or Government party. They are called the Opposition because they sit on the benches opposite the Government in the House of Commons Chamber. The largest of the Opposition parties is known as Her Majesty's Opposition. The role of the Official Opposition is to question and scrutinise the work of Government. The Opposition often votes against the Government. In a sense the Official Opposition is the "Government in waiting".
