Lord HAWKEasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will consider requesting the Gas Board to spend some of their enormous profits on the purchase from British shipyards of liquid gas carriers.
The Earl of GOWRIEIt is for the British Gas Corporation to settle their capital expenditure programme in the light of their operational requirements, subject to approval by the Secretary of State. I will therefore arrange for the chairman of the corporation to write to the noble Lord about purchase of liquid gas carriers.