§ 27. Mr. Boyd-Carpenterasked the Minister of Fuel and Power when his regional petroleum officer, South-Eastern 20 Region, expects to complete his review of existing supplementary allowances; when this review began; and how much petrol has been so far saved by it.
§ Mr. P. Noel-BakerAs the hon. Member will be aware, applications for supplementary petrol are staggered in six monthly groups. The special review began in November last. The saving on the claims reviewed in the first four months was about 50,000 gallons.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether it is on his instructions that this officer is now disallowing allowances which have been permitted for several years, although the circumstances of the applicant have not changed?
§ Mr. Noel-BakerIt has happened that mistakes have been made in the past, and they are now being put right.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterDoes the Minister's answer mean that every case in which an existing application is not renewed is an admission of a mistake by his Department?
§ Mr. Noel-BakerI would be very glad if the hon. Gentleman will bring any special cases to my attention, and I will look into them, but, broadly, quite a number of mistakes have been made and they have been put right, I will not say with the approval of, but without active dissent from, the applicants.
§ Mr. Geoffrey LloydIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the complexities of the petrol rationing scheme are such that in peace-time conditions it is not possible fairly to ration each person according to his need?
§ Mr. Noel-BakerI am aware of the complexities of the scheme, but, on the whole, I think it is pretty fair.