HC Deb 09 March 1967 vol 742 cc1734-5
13. Mr. Allason

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will take the necessary steps to introduce restrictions to the carriage of petroleum and fuel oil in the same delivery tanker, in view of the danger of the wrong fuel being pumped into domestic storage tanks.

Miss Bacon

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave on 25th January to a Question by the hon. Member for Twickenham (Mr. Gresham Cooke).—[Vol. 739. c. 312.]

Mr. Allason

That reply referred only to discussing matters with the trade. Does the Minister realise that this is an extremely urgent matter and that it is very dangerous to have petrol pumped in to a fuel tank? There was a near-danger of explosion in my constituency. Will she put firmly the interests of safety about commercial interests?

Miss Bacon

Yes, we always put safety above commercial interests, and a number of companies have already adopted this safeguard voluntarily. It may be that we shall have to refer this matter to the Standing Advisory Committee on Dangerous Substances, but my right hon. Friend said that we would first discuss it with the trade.