§ 121. Mr. Fenner Brockwayasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the British Guiana Government intimated its view that there is no oil in British Guiana to the Gulf Oil Corporation before the company made its application for an oil exploration licence.
§ 122. Mr. Fienburghasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the British Guiana Government informed the Panhandle Oil Canada Limited of its view that there is no oil in British Guiana before the company started its exploration; what success attended the exploration; how long the exploration took; and what area was explored.
§ Mr. LytteltonThe British Guiana Government has never made any statement that there is no oil in the territory, and the two companies named were not so informed. The Panhandle Company's geologists made a preliminary examination of the coast line from the mouth of the Essequibo River to the Venezuelan border occupying approximately one week. So far as is known, no proper exploration was carried out.