HC Deb 17 December 1956 vol 562 cc115-6W
115. Mrs. Castle

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will increase the supplementary allowance of petrol to manufacturers of medical products who cannot switch to rail delivery at short notice owing to the difficulty in obtaining suitable containers for their products which normally go by road.

Mr. Watkinson

I have asked my Regional Transport Commissioners to give special consideration to applications for supplementary fuel rations for the movement of essential medical supplies.

117. Mr. Gresham Cooke

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what steps he is taking to minimise the difficulties, arising out of rationing, facing the operators of diesel-engined commercial vehicles; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Watkinson

The basic ration has been issued to all those who applied in time. Regional Transport Commissioners will at once proceed to issue an advance of supplementary rations to those who qualify for them under the criteria I circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT for 5th December. This will enable operators to carry on while a fuller examination of applications is being made. The amounts of derv available for issue as supplementary rations are in total greater than the total amounts issued in the basic ration. Supplementary rations will, as I have stated, be related to the work to be done and not necessarily to previous usage.