§ 8. Mr. Errollasked the Minister of Fuel and Power what steps are being taken to expand oil refining capacity in British Caribbean territories.
§ Mr. P. Noel-BakerTrinidad is the only British territory in the Caribbean where refining is done. During the last three years, the Trinidad Leaseholds Company has increased the output of its refinery at Point-a-Pierre by about one third; it is now about 3,250,000 tons a year. The plant is being modernised and a catalytic cracking unit is being put up. When this work is done the plant will produce a wide range of high quality products.
§ Mr. ErrollIs any consideration being given to establishing refineries in other British West Indian islands to refine oil from Venezuela and other Gulf territories?
§ Mr. Noel-BakerThere are, in fact, British controlled company refineries in Venezuela and Curacao and Shell have a refinery in Trinidad; but the Companies now prefer to erect refineries near the point of consumption.