§ Sir G. Foxasked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether arrangements can now be made to increase the proportion of our petroleum requirements which we obtain from the sterling area and to reduce the proportion which we obtain from the dollar area; and whether there is any agreement, secret or otherwise, which obliges us to obtain a certain proportion from the dollar area.
§ Mr. ShinwellSteps have already been taken to do what the hon. Member suggests in the first part of his Question, but as I explained, in reply to a question which he put to me on 9th October, there are deficiencies of products in the sterling area which can only be met by the purchase of oil from dollar sources. The answer to the second part of the Question is that there is no such agreement.
§ Mr. Hoggasked the Minister of Fuel and Power what steps he has taken to explore the possibility of importations of petrol from Russia and Rumania and with what result.
§ Mr. ShinwellRumania is supplying a considerable proportion of her production of petroleum to Russia as reparations, and it is understood that Russia has also secured additional supplies under trade agreements. Endeavours have been made to secure, through British oil companies operating in Rumania, a share of the balance for export, but so far without success. In the light of this experience it has not been considered that it would be practicable to obtain supplies of petrol from Russia which, during the war, has imported considerable quantities of petroleum products from United States and British sources.