§ 1. Captain Viscount CURZONasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can give figures showing every rise in the cost of petrol since 1912; whether he can state what was the value of the Government shares in the Anglo-Persian Oil Company on each occasion; and what were the profits of the company for each year since 1912?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. Baldwin)I will have a statement circulated in the OFFICIAL 3 REPORT, showing the changes in the price at which motor spirit was supplied by wholesale companies to garages and large consumers since 1912, and also showing the profits of the Anglo-Persian Oil Company as stated in the balance sheets for the years ended March, 1914, and 1920. With reference to the second part of the question, I cannot add anything to the answer given to my Noble Friend on 3rd March last by the Leader of the House, who was at that time Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Sir J. D. REESIs it not the case that all the petrol of the Anglo-Persian Oil Company is under contract marketed by the Shell Company, and that the Anglo-Persian Company has no control whatever of the price of petrol?
§ Mr. BALDWINI have no personal knowledge.
§ The following is the statement promised:—
§ Statement showing:—(1) The changes in the prices charged for No. 3 motor spirit by wholesale companies to garages and large consumers since 1912; and (2) the profits of the Anglo-Persian Oil Company as stated in the balance sheets for the years ended March, 1914 to 1920:—
| (1) | |||
| Date. | Price per gallon. | ||
| s. | d. | ||
| 1912. | October 15th | 1 | 4 |
| 1913. | February 24th | 1 | 5 |
| 1914. | July 6th | 1 | 3 |
| 1915. | September 15th | 1 | 4 |
| September 22nd | 1 | 8 | |
| December 24th | 1 | 9 | |
| 1916. | May | 2 | 5 |
| 1917. | May 24th | 2 | 5¾ |
| July 13th | 2 | 8 | |
| September 3rd | 3 | 4½ | |
| October 10th | 3 | 2 | |
| November 26th | 3 | 0½ | |
| December 18th | 2 | 11½ | |
| 1918. | May 1st | 3 | 2 |
| December 1st | 3 | 0 | |
| 1919. | January 1st | 2 | 8½ |
| May 19th | 2 | 6 | |
| 1920. | February 4th | 3 | 2 |
| August 30th | 3 | 9 | |
| October 11th | 3 | 6 | |
| 1921. | January 1st | 2 | 11 |
| May 28th | 2 | 5 |
| (2) | ||
| Year ended. | Net Profit.* | |
| £ | ||
| 1913. | March 31st | No trading account available. |
| 1914. | March 31st | (Dr.) 26,711 |
| 1915. | March 31st | 90,431 |
| 1916. | March 31st | 85,768 |
| 1917. | March 31st | 344,110 |
| 1918. | March 31st | 1,308,558 |
| 1919. | March 31st | 2,010,805 |
| 1920. | March 31st | 2,611,165 |
| * After providing for administration expenses, debenture interest, royalty, and depreciation. |