PETROL ALLOWANCE FOR HIGHLAND VISITORS (Hansard, 8 May 1957)

§ LORD LUCAS OF CHILWORTH
My Lords, I beg to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

§ THE MINISTER OF POWER (LORD MILLS)
My Lords, a statement about petrol rationing generally will be made as soon as possible. Meanwhile it remains the view of Her Majesty's Government that petrol rationing should not 424 be removed until an adequate and regular flow of supplies is assured. As to extra petrol for motorists visiting the Northern Highlands of Scotland, the scheme which was announced on May 3. and which comes into operation on May 13, is intended to assist the Northern Highlands tourist industry which is exceptionally dependent on visitors who come by car.

§ LORD LUCAS OF CHILWORTH
My Lords, would the noble Lord mind explaining to your Lordships why petrol rationing is now used as a subsidy for the hotel industry in a certain part of the country? Might I ask him whether he does not think it grossly unfair that a motorist who leaves the South of England to go to Inverness, coming back from Inverness is able to obtain petrol equivalent roughly to one-and-a-half months' basic ration supply for the purpose of returning to the South of England, while a motorist travelling from Inverness to the South of England, or from Newcastle, let us say, to the South Coast, or from East Anglia to the Lake District, does not get anything at all? Surely the noble Lord recognises that if there is a surplus of petrol to be shared out in this way the principle of equity must obtain? Might I also ask whether he will once again look into the system which I suggested to him on two previous occasions—that if he would increase the basic ration of petrol to all motorists there would be no necessity for this unfair discrimination? Finally, would he not agree with me that while his machine of rationing must perhaps be kept in existence, he has power in his hands at any time, day or night, to alter it one way or another as befits the national circumstances?

§ LORD MILLS
The Northern Highlands are in an exceptional position. They are far from the main centres of population, the public transport facilities are not good and the tourist industry there is very dependent upon tourists who come by car. It is quite an exceptional case. It is the worst case. Therefore, I think I am fully justified in trying to aid that industry. Now the noble Lord, I am glad to note, recognises that perhaps there is some need to continue rationing. As to the extent of the rationing. I must rely upon the calculations of my own Department rather than upon the wishes of the noble Lord.

§ LORD WINSTER
My Lords, may I ask the noble Lord whether he is able to say offhand what percentage of pre-Suez stocks of petrol are at present in storage in this country?

§ LORD MILLS
My Lords, I am not sure that that has anything to do with the Question. But our stocks are reasonably adequate, and are just a little less than normal.

§ VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGH
May I ask the noble Lord to tell us a little more about this question of extra petrol rations to support the tourist industry in certain quarters? If there is a case for the Scottish tourist industry for extra petrol for anything over 200 miles, why does he not apply that principle to every other district of the country to which people may go from centres of population over 200 miles distant? Such places where the tourist industry is operating are legion. There are, for instance, the Cornish Riviera, North Wales and the Lake District. Why should a special handicap be put on them now by giving this preference to the North of Scotland?

§ LORD MILLS
My Lords, in reply to the noble Lord, Lord Lucas of Chilworth, I said that the conditions in the Northern Highlands are exceptional. They are highly dependent upon the tourist industry, and the very fact that the noble Viscount points out that there are numerous cases where the distance is over 200 miles is, I think, sufficient answer why I cannot do it for everyone.

§ LORD LUCAS OF CHILWORTH
My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that the motorist does not have to go to the Highlands—he has only to go as far as Inverness.

§ LORD LUCAS OF CHILWORTH
Inverness is not a remote district away from all other means of communication 426 than that afforded by the motor car. If the motorist goes to Inverness from the South of England he can get 500 miles' worth of petrol to get him back to the South of England again. He can get that petrol to get him back to the South of England because the South of England is 500 miles from Inverness. The motorist has only to go as far as Inverness; he need not go a mile further. I have never understood that rail communications as far as Inverness are so bad that the hotel industry in Inverness and south of Inverness must be aided by means of this supplementary ration of petrol.

§ LORD MILLS
My Lords, the noble Lord is, of course, wrong in his assumption that Inverness is not in the Highlands. In any plan of this kind we have to start at some point, and Inverness, being in the Highlands, is not a bad starting point.

LORD REA
My Lords, arising out of the last supplementary question, would the noble Lord consider giving the figures of imports, stocks and consumption for, say, April of last year compared with April, 1957?

§ LORD MILLS
My Lords, that is not in the Question, but I like to be as forthcoming as I am able. The stocks and imports are at present rather less than they were last year.

§ VISCOUNT THURSO
My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that: his concession to the Highlands of Scotland has been welcomed not only by the Highlands but all over Scotland, since everybody in Scotland knows that there is no part of the country which, I venture to think, has been so hard hit by rationing as the Highlands, or to which the tourist industry is more important in the summer months?

§ LORD MILLS
My Lords, I should have thought that the English love for Scotland would have made our proposals very welcome indeed.