§ Mr. Sharpasked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he contemplates making any peacetime use of the U.K. oil pipelines used during the war; to what extent men and materials are now being used on the maintenance of these pipelines; and what justification he can give for such expenditure at the present time.
§ Mr. GaitskellCertain tributaries of the main war time pipeline system have been disposed of and a section of it is still in use. The possibility of utilising the remainder to relieve other forms of transport has recently been re-examined, but was found not to be a practical proposition. The system is, however, being kept in being for use in case of emergency. Its maintenance employs 67 persons, including those engaged on the operating section. The amount of materials needed for occasional repairs is very small.