§ 40. Mr. Fitchasked the Paymaster-General to what extent stocks of oil intended for use other than by Govern-Departments are being built up; and how much of the expenditure involved will fall on public funds.
§ Mr. MaudlingStocks of oil available for Government and for general civil use are increasing. It would not be in the public interest to disclose the levels reached or projected, but the bulk of the cost does not fall on public funds.
§ Mr. FitchWould not the Minister agree that this is another example of Government policy in tipping the scales in favour of oil? Why should the Coal Board be responsible for the cost of stocking coal while the Government are apparently going to be responsible for the cost of stocking oil for private enterprise?
§ Mr. MaudlingIf the hon. Gentleman, studies what I said, he will realise that his supplementary question is quite wrong.
§ Mr. E. ShinwellThis is rather surprising. Are we to understand that the reason why the right hon. Gentleman, on behalf of the Government, cannot disclose information about the piling up 863 of oil stocks is for security reasons? Has that any bearing on the position of the National Coal Board and on the consumption of coal? Are we building up oil stocks and using more oil and encouraging more oil to be used for security reasons?
§ Mr. MaudlingI answered the Question as best I could. I said that I could not give the actual figures of coal stocks—[HON. MEMBERS: "Oil."]—for reasons of national security which are well-known to the right hon. Gentleman.
§ Mr. GowerWill my right hon. Friend resist the implication that the changeover from coal to oil is due to some act of the Government and has no relation at all to international developments in industry and science?
§ Mr. MaudlingI should have thought that we had said enough to make anyone except the Opposition believe that anything like that was responsible for the change-over.
§ Mr. WiggOn a point of order. The Minister made a Freudian slip and used the word "coal" when he meant "oil"
§ Mr. SpeakerI think it was a slip of the tongue.
§ Mr. ShinwellThe right hon. Gentleman has raised an important point. Are we to understand that the Government disclaim any responsibility for the further use of oil by electricity stations or in other fashion for security reasons? Is that the position of the Government? If that is so, how can the Government disclaim responsibility.
§ Mr. MaudlingThe Question I was asked was about stocks of oil. I said it was not in the national interest to disclose the size of stocks. It is perfectly clear why we need stocks of oil, as we do food. The right hon. Gentleman has been in the Defence Department and knows why the figures should not be given.
§ Mr. NealAs the Government spokesman has informed us that £6 million of public money has been provided for extra stocks of oil, is the House not entitled to know what it is getting for its money?
§ Mr. MaudlingThe capital expenditure on a number of things, including 864 oil storage and distribution facilities, is published in the Ministry of Power Vote, Class IX, Vote 6.