asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what the cost was of administering Divisional Petroleum Offices in the United Kingdom in May, 1947; and what it is now.

The monthly cost of the staff employed in Divisional Petroleum Offices in Great Britain together with that of the relevant administrative staff at headquarters was approximately £39,000 in May, 1947, and is now estimated at approximately £50,000. The increase is due partly to overtime, partly to a temporary increase in staff, and to a smaller extent to increased wage scales. In addition my Ministry bears the cost of administering petroleum rationing in Northern Ireland, which averages approximately £5,000 monthly.