Petroleum Products (Stocks)

Oral Answers to Questions — Fuel and Power – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 6 Tachwedd 1947.

Danfonwch hysbysiad imi am ddadleuon fel hyn

Photo of Mr Frederick Erroll Mr Frederick Erroll , Altrincham and Sale 12:00, 6 Tachwedd 1947

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power by how many tons United Kingdom stocks of oil and petroleum products have increased or decreased in the last 12 months.

Photo of Sir Allan Noble Sir Allan Noble , Chelsea

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what are the present stocks of petrol in the United Kingdom.

Photo of Mr Daniel Lipson Mr Daniel Lipson , Cheltenham

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power how much petrol is there in this country; and how many months' supply does that represent at current consumption.

Photo of Mr Hugh Gaitskell Mr Hugh Gaitskell , Leeds South

As the House knows, successive Governments have always refused on defence grounds to disclose the amount of stocks of petroleum held at any given time in this country, and I regret, therefore, that I cannot give the information desired by the hon. Members.

Photo of Mr Frederick Erroll Mr Frederick Erroll , Altrincham and Sale

Does the Minister realise that I am not asking for stocks, but only for the changes in stocks, which is a very different thing, and could he not make that information available?

Photo of Mr Hugh Gaitskell Mr Hugh Gaitskell , Leeds South

For the same reason—objections on defence grounds—I must withhold the information.

Photo of Mr Daniel Lipson Mr Daniel Lipson , Cheltenham

Does not the Minister think it is unreasonable to withhold this information under present conditions and, in view of the concern which has been raised in the country by the decision to abolish the basic petrol ration, are not the public entitled to have all the facts in regard to the stock position?

Photo of Mr Hugh Gaitskell Mr Hugh Gaitskell , Leeds South

This is, of course, a question of balance. It is, I agree, desirable to keep the country as fully informed on these matters as possible, but I must also ask the House to appreciate that there are defence considerations in this matter, even in respect of the trend of petrol stocks, and these considerations, in the view of the Government, are in this case paramount.

Mr. Vane:

If the Minister cannot give these figures to the House, may I ask if he can have a Press conference and give them to the T.U.C.?

Photo of Mr Charles Byers Mr Charles Byers , Dorset Northern

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman how he reconciles his statement that he cannot give these figures on the grounds of defence with the fact that the composition and strength of the Fleet has already been given in this House? Is there not some lack of coordination on defence grounds between his Ministry and the Defence Ministry?

Photo of Mr Hugh Gaitskell Mr Hugh Gaitskell , Leeds South

There is no lack of coordination. As I said earlier, this is a matter on which successive Governments have always taken the same view, as the right hon. Gentleman opposite should know, even before the war—the view that it would be unwise to disclose either the trend or the actual amount of petrol stocks.

Photo of Mr Anthony Eden Mr Anthony Eden , Warwick and Leamington

I think we all understand the defence issue in this matter, but I am not pressing the Government to give the total figure. I am asking the right hon. Gentleman how in the world, if the total figure is unknown, he can say that information about increases or decreases could possibly give the enemy any information at all?

Mr. Mcdland:

Who is the enemy?

Photo of Mr Anthony Eden Mr Anthony Eden , Warwick and Leamington

The Government are refusing to give the information. Perhaps there is somebody to whom they do not want to make the information available. I am agreeing with the Government. All I am asking is, how can this differential figure make the slightest difference to anybody, and whether it will not help the country to understand the position?

Photo of Mr Hugh Gaitskell Mr Hugh Gaitskell , Leeds South

The right hon. Gentleman, in his time, has been Secretary of State for War, and he will be perfectly well aware that it is of great interest to foreign countries even to know the trends in matters of this kind. It may be that information which is available to them would, in itself, be of no particular value, but if we were to add to it by making further information public, it would have very considerable significance.