Part of the debate – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 5 Rhagfyr 1973.
In terms of complacency, the right hon. Gentleman's contribution to trying to assist the energy problem has been noted for being not just complacent but positively unhelpful.
The matter of a debate on this subject is for my right hon. Friend, but I will mention it to him. I should certainly welcome one.
We shall obviously look into the specific case of diesel supplies on a particular motorway. I have already stated that there are some immediate diesel shortages, but nothing compared with the difficulty that would arise if, as seemingly the right hon. Gentleman wishes, on the basis of no drop in our supplies in November and a 15 per cent. drop in December, we were to ration all forms of fuel, including diesel. Presumably that is the right hon. Gentleman's view about not being complacent.
I did not today say that there was any criticism of the multi-national companies. Therefore, the right hon. Gentleman must have misheard me. I said that they have collaborated and cooperated with us in many spheres. We have no criticisms of them in this country.
On the question of a separate Ministry, I should point out to the right hon. Gentleman that in developing our energy policy there are a whole range of activities—for example, the application of the Industry Act to the rapid development of resources in North Sea oil and international relationships—and there are considerable advantages in dealing with that range of problems in one Department.