§ 2.5 p.m.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether wholly-owned subsidiaries of the United States concerns manufacturing in this country and using fuel oil have been put on notice that their parent companies will be expected to find their own fuel oil or provide dollars in payment therefor.]
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE DUCHY OF LANCASTER (THE EARL OF SELKIRK)My Lords, it is the policy of Her Majesty's Government to allocate supplies of fuel oil to wholly-owned subsidiaries of United States companies manufacturing in this country on the same basis as allocations to other companies. Successive Government have encouraged United States companies to invest in manufacturing in this country, and the subsidiaries have always been treated on the same basis as concerns which were entirely British-owned.