HC Deb 22 January 1957 vol 563 c28W
127. Mr. Dodds

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Power if he will make a statement in respect to the petrol and oil situation; the prospects for the next few months; and how long he estimates rationing will continue.

Mr. Maudling

The Organisation for European Economic Co-operation has made arrangements for periodic reviews of the oil situation in Western Europe as a whole and for all available oil supplies to be shared fairly among Member countries. The first review, which has just been completed, confirms the broad assumption on which United Kingdom planning has been based that only about 75 per cent. of normal oil supplies will become available. There is therefore no immediate prospect of relaxing the present restrictions which, in fact, involve some running down of stocks of all the major oil products.