§ 8. Mr. Pageasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is satisfied that the tanker fleet available for operating between the Middle East and European ports is of sufficient tonnage to maintain a supply of oil to North Atlantic Treaty Organisation forces adequate to maintain, in emergency, the defence measures planned by that organisation.
§ Mr. TurtonOn the information at present available to me, I have no reason to suppose that the supply of oil for the essential needs of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation forces in Europe will be restricted by shortage of tankers.
§ Mr. PageHas my hon. Friend some figures to show the number of tankers that are available under the flags of the N.A.T.O. countries? Has he any evidence to show that there is any serious transfer of tankers from N.A.T.O. countries to non-N.A.T.O. countries which might cause a depletion of available tanker tonnage in the event of an emergency?
§ Mr. TurtonI cannot go in detail into N.A.T.O. plans. My hon. Friend's Question is directed to what would be the position in war, and that seems to me highly speculative. I have done my best to reply to it.