asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will revise the arrangement in Germany under which British personnel are allowed petrol to cover 500 miles of recreational transport each month.

No, Sir. Five hundred miles a month is a maximum. I am making inquiries into the working of the scheme, which will, of course, be affected by the recent cut of 25 per cent. imposed on the Control Commission's petrol consumption.

Is it not because there is no other means of transport in Germany that the Control Commission has found it necessary to allocate petrol to people so that they may communicate with each other?

I have had strong representations made to me on this question of petrol consumption and communications, and I am looking into the whole matter.

Can my right hon. Friend tell me whether the whole of this petrol is used solely for business purposes or for pleasure as well?

Mainly for business purposes. I think it is for business purposes on the way out and for pleasure on the way home.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what accounts for the irregular and inconvenient shortage of petrol coupons in the British zone of Germany, and as some German pumps are unable to honour even those which are available, if he will cause an investigation to be made into the administration of petrol supplies generally.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs why the petrol supply for the British occupation authorities in Germany has partially broken down; and what steps are being taken to remedy this state of affairs.

There has been no breakdown in petrol supplies in Germany. Authority to issue petrol coupons to nonmilitary users, such as Press correspondents, commercial representatives and welfare organisations was transferred from B.A.O.R. to the Zonal Travel Directorate on 1st November. Coupons held then had to be exchanged for new ones. The demand for new coupons proved unexpectedly large, and a temporary shortage resulted in Berlin. Steps have been taken to remedy the shortage.