HC Deb 04 July 1967 vol 749 cc1555-6
18. Mr. Hector Hughes

asked the Minister of Power what conversations he has had since war started in the Middle East with the persons and companies drilling for oil in the North Sea under licence from him, with a view to giving Government assistance to them in order to increase and accelerate oil supplies to Great Britain from those North Sea oil wells in order to make up a shortage of oil in Great Britain caused by that war.

Mr. Marsh

None, Sir. As I have previously explained to my hon. and learned Friend, there are no oil wells in the North Sea.

Mr. Hughes

Would it not be a useful and constructive move, and would it not save time and energy, for the Minister to include it in his Bill to control liquid fuel, which he proposes to introduce this afternoon and which has not yet reached the Vote Office?

Mr. Marsh

The problem is that we have no oil there to control. We are all very hopeful, as I know is my hon. and learned Friend, that possibilities may arise in the future, but they are certainly not with us at the moment.