§ 8. Mr. Nabarroasked the Minister of Fuel and Power what increase in the use of oil as a source of industrial power has occurred in the last 12 months compared with the immediately preceding 12 months; and what coal economy has thus been promoted.
§ Mr. Aubrey JonesTotal deliveries of black oils—other than refineries' own consumption and diesel oil for road vehicles —increased by 1.2 million tons, or 18 per cent., between the year ending March, 1956, and the previous year, the coal equivalent of the increase being about 2 million tons.
§ Mr. NabarroCan my right hon. Friend say whether he proposes to place the same emphasis upon, and view with the same satisfaction, the increased use of oil as a substitute for coal, as did his predecessor, or has there been any change of Ministerial policy in this material regard?
§ Mr. JonesI cannot view with satisfaction the substitution of oil for coal, for oil involves a net burden on the balance of payments—
§ Mr. NabarroJust what I have been saying.
§ Mr. Jones—but I am afraid that I cannot share my hon. Friend's restrictionist—as I see it—attitude towards the energy problem. That problem is not one of the substitution of one form of fuel for 1026 another. The problem is such that we need every kind of fuel we can lay our hands on. To sustain British industry and employment at a high level, we have to have great imports of oil and speed up conversion to oil.
§ Mr. J. GriffithsWhile we may have some differences of opinion with him, is the Minister aware that we admire the way in which he is standing up to "Big Brother"?
§ Mr. NabarroOn a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I am sure your attention has been drawn to the Orwell play, "1984". Is it in order for the right hon. Gentleman to speak of me as "Big Brother"?
§ Mr. SpeakerI thought it was a term of affection.