Oil Supplies (Hansard, 25 June 1979)

§ Mr. Speller
asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make contingency arrangements for a simple priority system which would guarantee fuel for essential uses in agriculture and industry, to be introduced if the present shortage of diesel fuel for agricultural and similar machinery continues beyond the end of June.

§ Mr. Gray
Contingency arrangements exist for a Government-directed scheme in which essential food and industrial production, together with other essential services, would be accorded priority. But, as my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy made clear in his statement to the House on 11 June, such a scheme would not be justified by the present level of shortfall.

§ Mr. Speller
asked the Secretary of State for Energy if, to avoid further delay in the harvest, he will take steps to ensure that the oil companies give priority to the production of 35 second oil used as tractor fuel above 28 second fuel used for domestic heating; if he will make a statement on the supply position of 35 second oil.

§ Mr. Gray
The Government have emphasised to the oil industry the need for ensuring that farmers receive adequate oil supplies to carry out necessary work at the right time.
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Supplies of both automotive and heating gas oil are tight and it remains necessary for farmers, like all consumers, to seek reasonable economies in their use of oil products without sacrificing essential production. Given this, there will be no need for the assignment of priorities, which can, in any case, never be fully satisfactory.

§ Mr. Michael Spicer
asked the Secretary tary of State for Energy what help, support and advice his Department plans to give to local education authorities to help them to keep oil-heated schools open next winter.

§ Mr. Gray
If we can achieve the target reduction of 5 per cent. in oil demand, there should be no overall shortfall in oil supplies this winter. There are, however, some uneven shortages which it must be the primary responsibility of the oil industry to solve. The Government have, therefore, requested the industry to achieve a more even and effective distribution overall, and to meet particular difficulties as a matter of urgency where customers are threatened with real hardship.
I would expect local education authorities, like the rest of the public sector, to give a firm lead in achieving oil savings. My officials are prepared to offer advice as required but, in general, it is the people on the spot who are in the best position to identify how particular savings can be made.