HC Deb 08 April 1948 vol 449 cc346-8
39. Mr. Hoy

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he has now received the report of the Russell Vick Committee; and if he will make a statement.

40 and 64. Commander Noble

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power (1) whether he will make a further statement on the holiday petrol allowance;

(2) whether he will now make a further statement on the savings of dollars and petrol since the abolition of the basic petrol allowance.

43. Mr. William Teeling

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he now has any statement to make about the restoration of the basic petrol ration.

44. Mr. Erroll

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what dyes for colouring petrol to avoid improper use are available; what quantity would be required to colour all petrol supplied for commercial uses; and to what extent the manufacture and distribution of colour neutralisers has been investigated.

57. Mr. Shurmer

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power, in order to give a chance to owners of cars to make their holiday preparations, is he now prepared to make a statement on the question of some basic petrol during the holiday season.

59. Mr. Low

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he has any statement to make about basic petrol.

60. Mr. C. S. Taylor

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he has any statement to make about the return of basic petrol.

68. Brigadier Medlicott

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he is aware that the privately owned motor craft and yachts with auxiliary engines on the Norfolk Broads and rivers will suffer deterioration if they are not able to be used this summer; and whether in order to avoid this situation and also to provide reasonable relaxation for those living and working in the areas involved, he will allow petrol to be made available for these craft during the summer months.

69. Mr. Douglas Marshall

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will take into consideration in planning for the restoration of the basic petrol ration the fact that Whitsun falls in May this year and that the Cornish riviera has an early holiday season.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Fuel and Power (Mr. Robens)

My right hon. Friend proposes, with Mr. Speaker's permission, to make a statement on the subject of petrol rationing at the end of Questions.

Mr. Erroll

Will the right hon. Gentleman deal specifically with the precise point in my Question?

Mr. Robens

The hon. Gentleman would not expect me to anticipate my right hon. Friend's statement.

42. Brigadier Medlicott

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will consider relaxing the present rule under which no allowance of petrol is allowed for a subsidiary business where the applicant already receives the maximum allow- ance for his normal occupation, in view of the fact that this rule is operating as a handicap and deterrent to persons who are willing and able to undertake additional work and responsibility.

Mr. Robens

The scales of allowances will be under review in the course of the next few months, but I cannot hold out any hope that, in general, increased allowances for subsidiary occupations will be granted to those who are at present receiving the maximum allowance appropriate to their scale.

66. Mr. Norman Bower

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power why commercial travellers are restricted to a maximum scale of petrol allowances irrespective of the area which they have to cover; and if he will take steps to see that their allowances are adjusted so as to conform more closely to the mileage which they are compelled to cover in the course of their employment.

Mr. Gaitskell

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend, the Member for Rother Valley (Mr. D. Griffiths) on 18th March.

67. Commander Noble

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power when it is expected to reach a decision on an application for a petrol allowance dated 24th February (Divisional Reference L. 573180), followed by a telegram on 5th March and a letter on 15th March, to none of which has a reply from Acton been received.

Mr. Gaitskell

I regret that the original papers on this case were mislaid but an allowance has now been issued.