§ 3. Captain John Crowderasked the Minister of Fuel and Power what steps are being taken to reduce the amount of petrol used by Government Departments.
§ Mr. GaitskellAs my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary informed the House on 1st July, in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Spen Valley (Mr. Sharp), arrangements have been made to treat Government Departments in the same way as certain large business firms, local authorities and other bodies which receive bulk allowances of petrol. Assessments for Government Departments are now fixed by my Ministry and no increase above the assessment is permitted unless the Department concerned has satisfied a Committee under the chairmanship of my Parliamentary Secretary that this is essential. These arrangements have retrospective effect from 1st April and have met with the approval of the Select Committee on Estimates.
§ Captain CrowderWhy is it that the Minister had not attempted any specific action until the report of the Select Committee on Estimates had been published in the Press; I understood his colleague to say that some definite instructions limiting the amount of petrol by percentage means had now been given?
§ Mr. GaitskellThe decision to change the arrangement was made before the Select Committee had published its Report and, as a matter of fact, before the Select Committee had even made these proposals. As regards the percentage reduction, it is only fair to the Civil Service to point out that the issues of E coupons to Government Departments in the first and second quarters of this year show a reduction of 7 and 10 per cent., respectively, on the previous year.
§ Mr. Joynson-HicksCould the right hon. Gentleman explain what he means by the retrospective effect of this arrangement? Does it mean that some of the Government Departments still have outstanding petrol which was issued to them last April?
§ Mr. GaitskellNo. It merely means that the period of the allocation is for the year from 1st April.