HC Deb 25 April 1950 vol 474 cc778-80
52. Mr. Gammans

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what means he was able to check the quantity of petrol in dealers' tanks at six p.m. on Budget day on which the higher level of duty would be levied; at what time and by what means, dealers were informed of the extra duty; and what happened to dealers who had not heard of, or said they had not heard, of the increase and continued to sell petrol at the old price.

Sir S. Cripps

Duty is chargeable on hydrocarbon oils when delivered from a refinery or bonded storage premises and the increase in duty announced in the Budget does not apply to stocks of duty-paid oil held by dealers at the time of the change.

Mr. Gammons

Does that mean that, in the case of any dealer who had the good fortune to have a full tank at six o'clock and put on the extra 9d., that additional amount would go to him?

Sir S. Cripps

If he put on the extra 9d. the additional amount would go to him, but I think that probably most dealers did not put on the extra 9d. until they had a new lot of petrol.

Mr. Godfrey Nicholson

Would there not be a corresponding loss to dealers when the duty is reduced?

Sir S. Cripps

When duty of any sort or kind is changed there is always a difficulty as regards stocks held at the time and that loss or gain is one of the incidents of industry in this country.

55. Mr. Baker White

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that the increase in taxation on petrol will weigh very heavily upon disabled ex-Service men and other users of petrol-driven invalid carriages, and whether, in view of this fact, he will cause to be issued to them coupons of a special colour enabling them to buy petrol at the old price.

73. Sir Harvie Watt

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he is prepared to consider as a special case the issue of a different class of petrol coupons for the supply of petrol at a reduced price to limbless ex-Service men

Sir S. Cripps

The increase of 9d. a gallon proposed in the Budget will apply to all users of dutiable light oils, and it is not practicable to single out particular classes of users for relief in the form of remission of duty.

Mr. Baker White

Is the Chancellor aware that to many disabled men this is going to mean an increase of up to 2s. a week, which is no mean sum to a disabled ex-Service man?

Sir S. Cripps

This is a matter which, I think, should be dealt with by the Minister of Pensions and it has already been dealt with by him this afternoon.

Mr. Stanley

Is not the Chancellor himself making arrangements to put agricultural vehicles on a particularly favourable basis and could he not do the same for vehicles of this kind?

Sir S. Cripps

I do not think that would be practicable. In those cases we are making arrangements, not to give the use of cheaper petrol, but to give a subsidy in respect of the vehicles.

Brigadier Head

Would it not be possible to give a subsidy in respect of vehicles used by disabled men in just the same way?

Sir S. Cripps

They are in fact subsidised at the present time.