§ 2.40 p.m.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, as the Suez Canal is officially declared to be open, they can say when it is intended to bring the rationing of motor fuel to an end.]
§ THE MINISTER OF POWER (LORD MILLS)My Lords, as was stated by my right honourable friend the Paymaster General in another place yesterday, the removal of petrol rationing depends on the assurance of an adequate and regular flow of supplies. It is the Government's view that, having regard to the present situation in the Middle East, it would be unsafe to assume that this condition is yet satisfied, and it has been decided, therefore, that petrol rationing must stay for the time being. Nevertheless, petrol supplies have improved and this has been reflected in the increased allowances already announced for the new rationing period beginning tomorrow.
§ EARL HOWEMy Lords, arising out of the noble Lord's Answer, for which of course I thank him, may I ask whether he is aware that, with the exception of France and ourselves, petrol rationing has been done away with in every country in Western Europe? Would he also say what are the governing factors about the use of the Canal? Is it a question of dredging, or is it the attitude of other Powers? May we be told whether the present difficulties in Jordan have any bearing on the matter? Would the noble Lord also bear in mind, when he answers, that the motor world in Britain is contributing over £400 million a year in taxation? Has that not some bearing upon the whole question? We have not been given any figures that we can go on, either in another place or here, about the question of our fuel stocks. There has been a vague allusion to 90 per cent. of fuel stocks. For the sake of the 10 per cent. have you really got to keep petrol rationing on?
§ SEVERAL NOBLE LORDS: Order, Order!
§ LORD MILLSMy Lords, the noble Earl has asked a good many questions. In reply, may I say that it is the general situation in the Middle East, including the absence yet of any agreement about the Canal, which has brought the Government to the conclusion that they cannot end petrol rationing. As I have stated before in your Lordships' House, we must be sure not only that our stocks are good and adequate but also of normal supplies in order to meet normal requirements. We are not yet in that position.
§ EARL HOWEMy Lords, do not these same considerations apply to every other country in Western Europe? How is it that they can all do away with rationing while we have to continue it here? Have we to wait until people stop throwing bricks at one another in Jordan?
§ LORD LUCAS OF CHILWORTHMy Lords, before the noble Lord answers the question may I say that I hoped he was going to be a little more forthcoming with regard to figures. May I ask the noble Lord whether he agrees that, if we are to keep petrol rationing in this country until tranquillity settles on the Middle 5 East, we may well have rationing for the rest of the lives of everybody in your Lordships' House? The second question I should like to ask—and the noble Lord himself will know whether or not it is time to end rationing—is whether he would be so good as to consider alleviating the hardship on one class of the community which he rather sadly neglected in his rather generous dispensation of extra petrol during the coming period—I refer to the private motorist who cannot and has not made any case for a supplementary ration and who is still trying to exist on his ordinary basic ration. Might I ask the noble Lord whether, if the petrol ration per unit were to be increased by 50 per cent., or even doubled, it would make any very large inroad on present or prospective stocks although it would give to one section of this community who have been badly treated an opportunity of enjoying a holiday in the next two or three weeks?
§ LORD MILLSMy Lords, in reply to the noble Earl, Lord Howe, I am rather anxious, as I have mentioned in your Lordships' House before, not to discuss other countries. I am concerned with the necessity of our being prudent in what we do. We are not going to run the risk of taking rationing off and then having to reimpose it very quickly. In reply to the question of the noble Lord, Lord Lucas of Chilworth, as I have already announced, it is the intention to increase from to-morrow, by 50 per cent., the basic ration applying to all private motorists. That is as far as Her Majesty's Government feel that it is safe to go at the present.
§ EARL HOWEMy Lords, may I ask the noble Lord whether, if I put this Question down on the Order Paper again for a date very early after Easter, he will be able to give a rather more satisfactory answer than he has been able to give so far?
THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR COMMONWEALTH RELATIONS AND LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (THE EARL OF HOME)My Lords, I think it would be better if the noble Earl were o put down another Question, as we are in danger of getting into a debate on this subject.