Captain TUDOR REESasked the Prime Minister what steps he proposes to take to give effect to the Report of the Profiteering Committee that the present price of petrol is excessive and without justification?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANThe Board of Trade propose to discuss further with the companies the various items of cost to which the Sub-Committee call attention, but even if it were found possible to effect a temporary reduction, I think we must face the fact that the demand for motor spirit is growing more rapidly than the supply, and that short of a complete international 65W control, which is hardly a practical proposal, the most effective method of preventing an increase of price is the use of other forms of liquid or gaseous fuel. The Board of Trade are examining the various possibilities with the assistance of the Fuel Research Board. There are difficulties in the way of an extended use of gas, particularly the fact that supplies of town gas are not too plentiful. I hope that it will be possible in due course to increase the production of benzol; but this, again, will be a limited quantity. The greater use of alcohol is no doubt one remedy, but a good deal of research, both as to possible sources of supply and the provision of a cheap and efficient denaturant, will be needed, and it will, I fear, in any case be a long time before large quantities can be expected to be available.