HC Deb 27 November 1947 vol 444 c301W
37. Brigadier Head

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether, bearing in mind that alcohol can be obtained from soft currency areas, he has considered alleviating the petrol shortage by using a mixture of petrol and alcohol, a system which was used considerably before the war.

Mr. Gaitskell

I understand from my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade that practically all our requirements of industrial alcohol have to be drawn from dollar sources and that only small quantities can be obtained from soft currency areas. The supplies available are needed for essential industry and there is, therefore, no immediate prospect of alleviating the petrol shortage from this source.