Fuel Supplies

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 5 Rhagfyr 1973.

Danfonwch hysbysiad imi am ddadleuon fel hyn

Photo of Mr Peter Walker Mr Peter Walker , Worcester 12:00, 5 Rhagfyr 1973

I do not. Dealing with garages, it may be that in the early stages of these cuts before the oil companies were able to re-organise the distribution of supplies, certain specific garages were affected more than others. At the beginning, for example, it may be that some of the independents were getting no supplies at all. However, these problems are being dealt with efficiently by the industry itself.

As for supplies of diesel, there has been a difficulty created by the fact that a number of firms which would normally fill their lorries from their own diesel supplies decided to retain them and go elsewhere. This created an extra burden. However, that will become less of an influence on the scene because they will not be able to take further deliveries of diesel until they start to use their stocks. Already there has been an improvement.

It is very easy to say that it would be better to introduce rationing. I ask the hon. Gentleman to think of his constituency and the number of people who now travel quite long distances to work. The only system of rationing which would not have an enormous effect on production would be a system whereby everyone's ration was tailor-made, and that would be impossible to do for 13 million motorists. We shall have to introduce rationing if the situation deteriorates, but it will not solve all the problems.