Part of the debate – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 5 Rhagfyr 1973.
The latter comment is quite untrue. I said that I was bringing forward the distribution of petrol coupons. That is taking place quite smoothly, as is the recruitment of the staff necessary for making supplementary allowances. There is no difficulty.
The right hon. Gentleman refers to a black market, and so on. He will recognise from his previous experience in days gone by that rationing schemes do not eliminate black markets or profiteering. These are aspects which apply whether we ration or do not ration. As a result of the introduction of the voluntary 50 m.p.h. speed limit and the restraint upon Sunday motoring—this was reported not by the Government but by the AA and the RAC—the reductions created by these measures were far greater outside the South-East than in the South-East. The fact is that the South-East can cure this situation itself.