HL Deb 05 December 1951 vol 174 c800

2.44 p.m.

LORD STRABOLGI

My Lords, I beg to ask the second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask His Majesty's Government to what extent the oil refinery at Haifa is being worked; and whether restrictions on the passage of oil tankers for Haifa are still being enforced.]

THE MARQUESS OF READING

My Lords, I am informed that the Haifa refinery is working at an annual rate of about 800,000 tons, equivalent to 22 per cent. of its capacity. As regards the passage of tankers, I assume that the noble Lord refers to passage through the Suez Canal. The Egyptian Government have given no indication that they intend to comply with the Security Council's Resolution of September 1. No tankers bound for Haifa have attempted to pass through the Canal.

LORD STRABOLGI

My Lords, whilst thanking the noble Marquess for that answer, are the Government really going to tolerate indefinitely this breach of international agreement? Are we going to sit down and allow this unofficial and illegal blockade to continue?

THE MARQUESS OF READING

The British Service authorities in Egypt are exercising only such control as is necessary to ensure the flow of supplies from the terminal ports to the British Forces in the Canal Zone. The enforcement of the Security Council's Resolution is quite another matter; and His Majesty's Government do not for the present wish to extend the area of the dispute with the Egyptian Government.