8 and 9. Mr. De la Bèreasked the Minister of Fuel and Power (1) whether in view of the introduction of red petrol as a preventative against commercial and farm petrol being used for private purposes he will consider abolishing the need for completion every three months of 1536 Form R (M.S.) 6, by farmers and producers throughout the country, with special regard to the great shortage of manpower on the farms and the unnecessary clerical work involved;
(2) whether, in view of the safeguards introduced under the recent legislation to prevent the abuse in the use of commercial petrol, he will now consider derationing commercial petrol.
§ Mr. GaitskellThese attractive suggestions will be considered as soon as my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport and I are satisfied that the measures recently adopted to suppress the black market are and will remain wholly effective.
Mr. De la BèreWill the Minister bear in mind that the Government have urged every farmer throughout the country to produce more food in order to save dollars; and is he aware that the farmers are desperately short of labour on the farms and that these forms require a lot of additional clerical work which they cannot really perform? As petrol for tractors is already given without rationing, why cannot the commercial petrol be given out in the same way as T.V.O.? This is a constructive, practical suggestion.
§ Mr. GaitskellI have already said I will consider this matter very carefully as soon as I am sure there is no danger of any leakage.