Marquess of HARTINGTONasked the President of the Board of Trade when the Petroleum Department of the Board of Trade was established; what were the establishment and the cost of this Department during its first complete financial year and the last; and what are the functions of the Department?
§ Mr. E. BROWNThe Department was established in 1919, and was transferred to the Board of Trade in 1921. The estimates in that year provided for a staff of about 20 at a total cost of about £12,000. The staff now consists of three full-time officers and the part services of three others, with assistance from the common services of the Mines Department. The total estimated annual cost is now about £3,800. The functions of the Petroleum Department are to advise on matters of policy in connection with petroleum in which His Majesty's Government are interested, to co-ordinate action and information, and to assist the various Government Departments interested on technical, commercial and political questions. Important commercial and technical questions affecting petroleum, of considerable interest to this country, are frequently raised in connection with the grant of oil concessions, the transport and marketing of petroleum, taxation of petroleum products, both in this and other countries, the making of regulations in British territories overseas, and the negotiation of trade agreements with foreign countries. It is the duty of the Department to keep in touch with petroleum questions in all parts of the world. This is done partly by maintaining contact with His Majesty's representatives abroad, and partly by the collection of material from published literature, as well as by maintaining a close touch with the principal British oil companies. The Department is responsible for the administration of the Petroleum Production Act, 1918.