HC Deb 15 April 1948 vol 449 cc81-2W
31. Mr. Erroll

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what was the total consumption of petrol for all purposes in the United Kingdom for the first three months of this year, and how much less was this than the figure for the corresponding period of 1947; and how much of the saving was due to the abolition of the basic ration.

Mr. Gaitskell

Petrol consumption in this country has been steadily increasing since 1945, and an estimate of the savings achieved by the measures taken last August cannot be made from a direct comparison of the kind suggested in the Question. Total deliveries into consumption of motor spirit for all purposes in the United Kingdom in the first three months of 1948 were 973,263 tons. This was 967 tons more than in the corresponding period of 1947 whereas it is estimated that the savings achieved in the first quarter of this year by the withdrawal of the basic ration and the other economies were 267,000 tons.