HC Deb 12 December 1935 vol 307 cc1131-2W
Mr. CREECH JONES

asked the Secretary for Mines whether the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company has sold any oil to Italy or to Italian dependencies during the present year through any of its subsidiary companies; and, if so, through which subsidiaries and in what quantities?

Captain CROOKSHANK

As regards shipments of oil to Italy, I would refer the hon. Member to the statement made on the 5th December during the Debate on the Address by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and to the reply I gave on the same date to a question by the hon. Member for Plaistow (Mr. Thorne). In the case of Italian dependencies, the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company is concerned with the marketing of oil in East Africa through a company, the Consolidated Petroleum Company, in which it has a part interest. While there has been an increase in shipments by this company to Italian dependencies in this area, the proportion of the total trade supplied by the Consolidated Petroleum Company during this year, and this applies also to recent months, was substantially less than during last year.

Mr. JOHNSTON

asked the Secretary for Mines whether his attention has been drawn to the activities of the Anglo-Egyptian oil refinery at Suez in supplying abnormal quantities of benzole, petrol and lubricating oil for the Italian armies in Abyssinia; whether he is aware that this refinery has been working night and day and employing hundreds of extra workers upon this war trade, and that it is controlled by a company which owns oil properties and stocks jointly with the Anglo-Iranian Company, Limited; and whether, in view of the British Government's interest in Anglo-Iranian stock, any special instructions have been given to the British Government's representatives upon the Anglo-Iranian board of directors?

Captain CROOKSHANK

I have at my request been furnished by the Anglo-Egyptian Oil Company with a statement in regard to the operations of their refinery at Suez, and the position is as follows: An oil refinery normally works night and day and is only shut down occasionally for cleaning purposes. There is no production of benzole or lubricating oil at the Suez refinery. The total output of liquid products from the refinery on the basis of the first 11 months of this year will be rather less in 1935 than in 1934. Normally the greater part of the output is used in Egypt (including supplies for bunkers). A very small proportion only of the products has been supplied to Italian dependencies in East Africa. The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative.