Mr. Ron Brownasked the Secretary of State for Industry whether the General Electric Company or any other company has expressed an interest in acquiring the
Petrol Heating oils* Date of change Rate of duty (per gallon) Change in† duty (per gallon) Rate of duty (per gallon) Change in† duty (per gallon) p p p p 1945 34½ 3½ 1947 l5 April nil -3½ 1950 18 April 60 +30½ 1951 l0 April 71 +14½ 1952 11 March 86 +21 1956 4 December 100½ +28½ 1957 9 April 71 -28½ 1961 17 April 4 +4 1962 10 April 68½ +6½ 1964 11 November 75½ +11½ 1967 11 April 75½ +7 4 +½ 1968 19 March 80½ +7 1969 15 April 86 +11 4 +½ 1976 9 April 51½ +13 1977 29 March 52½ +7½ 3½ +2 8 August 43 -7 1979 12 June 44 +8 3½ +½ 1980 26 March 47½ +9 3½ +½ *Fuel oil and gas oil. Kerosene was generally chargeable with the same effective rate of duty as other heating oils until March 1977 when the Budget left unchanged the effective rate on Kerosene, other than aviation kerosene. †10 per cent. surcharges were imposed on hydrocarbon oils from 26 July 1961—9 April 1962, 21 July 1966—11 April 1967 and 22 November 1968—15 April 1969.