asked the Minister for Energy if he will make arrangements to permit local authorities to reallocate their oil supplies for heating in accordance with their chosen priority rather than impose a similar cut in delivery at all their establishments.

Such arrangements have already been agreed in principle by the oil industry for large organisations having a number of establishments in different places. A local authority wishing to take advantage of this scheme should contact the head office of its regular oil supplier, who will consider the extent to which it is possible to meet the authority's preferred pattern of distribution to its various premises within the total amount of the overall allocation.