§ 22. Sir C. Osborneasked the President of the Board of Trade why he is prepared to grant Italian oil companies licences to import refined Soviet oil to this country; why he refuses to licence the direct importation of Soviet crude oil which could be refined in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir K. JosephIt is not our policy to allow additional imports of Soviet oil for the reasons given by my right hon. Friend's predecessor in reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Devon, North (Mr. Thorpe) on 8th June, and no licences are being issued to Italian companies for this purpose.