HC Deb 12 December 1963 vol 686 cc554-5
26. Mr. Parker

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development whether he will now permit the import of petrol from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics to prevent a rise of prices.

Mr. du Cann

No, Sir.

Mr. Parker

Is it not about time that this ban ended, so that we could both increase our own exports to Russia and keep down the price of petrol here?

Mr. du Cann

In the world as a whole there is a surplus of oil. The point for the United Kingdom is to find new outlets for it. As for the availability of petrol from the Soviet Union, of the exports so far made to non-Soviet bloc countries only a tiny fraction consists of petrol.