§ 107. Sir T. Mooreasked the Minister of Fuel and Power the amount of dollars saved on the imports of petrol from non-sterling areas since the abolition of the basic ration; and the loss in tax to the Exchequer during the same period.
§ Mr. GaitskellImports of petrol into the United Kingdom from dollar sources during the quarter October to December, 1947, were 446,000 tons compared with an average of 554,000 tons a quarter for the rest of 1947. The difference of 108,000 tons would at present prices cost about 4¾ million dollars. Changes in the amount of petrol imported into this country from dollar sources are not by themselves a true measure of the saving achieved by the abolition of the basic petrol ration and other economies introduced at the same time. For example,268W the freeing of sterling petrol for shipment to other parts of the sterling area saves dollars no less than does a reduction in the amount of dollar petrol imported into the United Kingdom. Moreover imports, in any case, will be temporarily higher or lower than consumption according to whether stocks are being built up or depleted over the period. As stated on 20th January in answer to the Question by my hon. Friend the Member for the Forest of Dean (Mr. Philips Price), the total saving from 1st October to 31st December is estimated at over 7 million dollars at present prices. With regard to the second part of the Question, I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply given on 22nd January to the hon. Member for Cheltenham (Mr. Lipson).