asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what steps he proposes to take, in view of the inconvenience suffered by the public through petrol rationing, to relax and later discontinue this control.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power when petrol rationing will cease.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether, in view of the fact that statistics with regard to stocks of petroleum are freely issued in America and were available, so far as this country is concerned, to the late Government, he can now make arrangements for the immediate publication of figures regarding British stocks; and, if not, on what grounds of military security the withholding of them is still justified

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power (1) what are the stocks of petrol in the country today; and how do these stocks compare with those held in September, 1938;

(2) what percentage of our petrol comes from the Persian Gulf and Trinidad, which are both in the sterling area; whether these supplies are enough for our needs; and whether we are still dependent for a portion of our supply on the United States.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is now able to make a statement with regard to the abolition of the restrictions on the sale of petrol..

I have now reviewed the question of petrol rationing. Contrary to suggestions which have been made that stocks of petrol in this country are high, the stock position is not satisfactory. Allowing for the present lower level of military requirements the stocks of petrol available for civil consumption at 27th September amounted to 450,000 tons. This is about 40 per cent. of the corresponding stocks held at the end of December, 1938. At the present time there is considerable uncertainty regarding future supplies due to conditions in the U.S.A., from which the bulk of our current supplies has to be obtained.

In considering this question of relaxations in this country it is necessary to bear in mind also the position in other parts of the Commonwealth, where measures for the conservation of petrol supplies have also been taken during the war and which would be affected if we made any relaxation here.

Under conditions which have obtained until recently only negligible quantities of petrol have been brought to this country from sterling sources, including Trinidad and the Persian Gulf. These supplies have been used, in order to conserve tanker tonnage, in areas nearer to the sources of, supply than the United Kingdom. In any event the petrol produced from sterling sources is insufficient to meet the needs of the sterling area. The deficiency can only be met by the purchase of oil from dollar sources; at present the dollar expenditure is very considerable and we must seek to reduce it.

In order to move the quantities of petroleum products which are produced from British controlled sources, we have not sufficient tanker tonnage under the British flag to meet our requirements. We are thus involved, not only in purchasing large quantities of oil products from dollar sources, but in having to pay dollar freights in regard to a material proportion of the tanker tonnage required.

This is why in present circumstances it is not possible to abolish petrol rationing, or to increase the ration at present.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that his answer will cause considerable disappointment, and will he assure the House that he will bear in mind the pressing nature of this question and do everything in his power to explore any sources which may give increased supplies?

I can give that assurance. Nobody is more disappointed than I am at being unable to abolish petrol rationing. It is very costly. The organisation is very comprehensive in character, and I should be glad to bring it to an end. I can assure the hon. Member that as soon as supplies are available petrol rationing will be terminated.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether the facts he has just given were known to the Government when they decided to reduce the price of petrol in this country?

Petrol rationing is a distinctive question with nothing whatever to do with the price level. We found ourselves in a position to reduce the price of petrol, and it would have been most injudicious not to have done so.

May I ask my right hon. Friend whether he can tell us—if not now, if I put a Question down will he do so?—where the greatly increased supplies from the Persian Gulf are going; and further, whether, in view of his decision not to let us off petrol rationing, he proposes to take any steps to stop the ever-increasing black market in petrol?

If my hon. Friend cares to put down a Question at any time, I shall do all I can to furnish an answer.

Is the Minister aware of the statement of his predecessor that it would only require one extra tanker a week to double the petrol ration in this country?

I am not unaware of that.

Is this not very unsatisfactory?

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he is aware that the present rationing of petrol is the cause of an extensive black market in this commodity; and what steps does he propose to take about this.

It is impossible under any system of rationing to secure that no irregularities occur. If, however, the lion. Member can furnish any specific evidence in regard to black market operations, I should be glad to receive it.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this racket is very widely practised and a great many cars appear to be averaging about 200 miles to the gallon?

We keep a very close watch on the situation and when we receive evidence that can be substantiated we refer the matter to the proper authorities, but if the hon. Gentleman or any other hon. Member has any information I would like to have it.

Is not my right hon. Friend aware that in almost every town every motorist, without exception, knows where he can get black market petrol, and do not his officers also have the same information?

That is obviously information that ought to be conveyed to me.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if, in view of the shortage of coal for domestic purposes that will arise in the winter, he will make the necessary arrangements with the representatives of the mine owners and mine workers for a temporary cessation of the issue of coal free or at special rates to mine workers, the said mine workers to be given the same allocation of coal as other domestic consumers and cash payments to be made in lieu of the additional tonnage at present received by them.

The tonnage of coal to which mine workers are entitled free or at concessional rates is governed by agreements in the various districts, some of which include provision for cash payments to be made in lieu of coal voluntarily surrendered. I have impressed upon the two sides in the industry the desirability of extending arrangements of this kind so that further savings in coal consumption may be encouraged.

Does not the Minister feel that the 4,500,000 tons of coal now required to meet the requirements of miners could and should be distributed at a suitable time over a wider field?

That is a question that I would like to see on the Paper.

Does not the Minister know that this cheaper price of coal to the miner is shown in the tonnage price list and he pays for it every week out of his wages?

I have indicated that these matters are subject to agreements.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether miners' households are also allowed as members of the public to buy coal at ordinary rates?

Under the agreement, coal is provided in certain cases; where it is not so provided, they come under the ordinary arrangements.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he is aware that the electric power companies had set aside £100,000,000 sterling for post-war expansion, but that the Government's proposals for nationalisation in this industry have created an uncertainty which is unfavourable to industrial expansion; and what steps he proposes to take to ensure that cheap electric power is made available at the earliest possible date in all rural areas.

I am aware that many electricity supply undertakings have prepared schemes for post-war development. In considering the re-organisation of the electricity supply industry, I shall not overlook these schemes nor the necessity of improving electricity supplies in the rural areas.

Would the right hon. Gentleman agree that the one thing to be avoided at all costs is the dislocation of the supply of electricity to rural areas, which was the danger foreseen both by the McGowan and by the Cooper Committees?

That matter is very present to my mind.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is yet in a position to state the policy of His Majesty's Government on electricity supply reorganisation in view of the declared intention of the Government to introduce a plan for the co-ordination of the fuel and power industries.

I hope to make a statement on this matter in the near future.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what is the estimated additional consumption of fuel due to the fact that street and domestic lighting will have to be turned on one hour earlier each day after the abolition of summer time.

The hon. Member will appreciate that with the abolition of summer time lights will be turned out one hour earlier in the morning. On the whole, however, there will be some additional consumption because there is greater activity in the evening than in the morning hours affected, but I cannot give any definite figure.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman agree that the first part of his answer certainly does not refer to October and the beginning of November—it may be to December and January—and does he not feel that every effort should be made to save coal at a time when a lot of people will not have any coal at all this winter?

I would not like to agree with the hon. and gallant Gentleman that a lot of people will not have coal this winter.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power when he proposes to publish the report of the working party sent to America some time ago to inquire into, and report upon, coal utilisation methods there.

I presume that my hon. Friend refers to a recent visit to the U.S.A. by three officials of my Ministry and of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research to study domestic heating methods. This report, which was designed primarily for official purposes, is somewhat long, and is not in a form suitable for publication. But I am considering, in consultation with the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research whether it would be practicable to prepare a summary for publication.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what quantity of coal was exported to Spain from this country during 1944; and how much has been exported during 1945.

The quantity of coal exported to Spain in the year 1944 was 10,605 tons, and in the first eight months of 1945 it was 18,876 tons. This coal was of low quality and of little use in this country. In future figures of coal exports will be shown in detail in the Trade and Navigation Accounts published quarterly.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what is the present controlled price for coke, and what is the basis on which this controlled price is decided.

There is no single controlled price for coke, as retail and wholesale prices for gas and hard coke vary in different parts of the country according to the prices ruling before the war, the quality of coke sold and the distance of the point of consumption from the point of production. Generally, the present price in any area is the pre-war price plus the national increases authorised by my Ministry from time to time to take account of increases in the price of coal.

asked the Minister of Labour what are the numbers in each release group in each of the services, sub-divided into main categories; and what is the total strength of the different arms and branches of the services in each theatre of war.

I will circulate in the Official Reportas soon as possible a statement giving the numbers in each of the first 50 release groups in each of the Services. In view of the amount of work involved, I do not feel justified in asking the Service Departments to sub-divide these figures. As regards the second part of the Question, it would not be in the public interest to give the information asked for by the hon. and Noble Member.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he can make a further statement about the release from the Services of agricultural workers and building operatives, in view of the man-power shortage in both these industries.

Considerable assistance has been given to agriculture by the loan of Service labour to help with harvesting and by the grant of leave to agricultural workers. The question whether further steps by way of special releases from the Forces can be taken is under examination. As regards building operatives, the number to be released in Class B is the maximum number consistent with the principle of release by age and length of service. It is estimated that, in addition to the 70,000 workers to be released in Class B for building and ancillary industries, about 150,000 in these industries will be released in Class A by the end of 1945.

asked the Minister of Information if he will use every possible means to keep forces overseas constantly informed of the Government's policy and arrangements in regard to demobilisation.

This is primarily the responsibility of the Service Departments, but I understand from them that meticulous care is taken to ensure that all official news on the subject reaches the Forces in overseas commands, both through Service newspapers and Service broadcasting stations.

May I ask the Minister whether the Services are going to use the Education Officers for the dissemination of this information?

As far as the Army is concerned they are using Forcereuter News Service now and the Air Ministry propose to produce a publication to deal with matters of detail very shortly.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware of the hardships suffered by many men who owned their businesses and whose wives or others have been carrying them on as best they could so as to keep the business together; and if he will consider a scheme, outside the group scheme, for the release of these men as they are urgently needed by their businesses and will not be competitors in the labour market.

I should not be justified in making an exception of this nature to the general rule of release from the Forces by age and length of service. Release on compassionate grounds is a matter for the Service Departments.

Will the Minister bear in mind that in Northern Ireland, where there is no National Service Act, businesses have been ruined by the competition of other businesses from which no one has joined up?

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the shortage of professional students, he will institute a scheme for the release from the Services of professional students who have not had the benefit of deferment, in order to allow them to qualify.

As the answer is rather long, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the Official Report.

asked the Minister of Labour, whether he will now reconsider the release of science students whose studies were interrupted by voluntary enlistment in the Armed Forces to enable them to resume their studies.

Yes, Sir; it has been decided that certain science students shall be eligible for release from the Forces in Class B to enable them to resume their studies at Universities. Those eligible are students in release groups 1to 49 inclusive, selected by their Universities as being in one of the following categories:

First, student of first-class or high second-class honours standard selected as research students or third-year students, and

Second, other students of high promise who were called up before the end of their normal deferment and before they had an opportunity of taking an Honours degree.

Will the right hon. Gentleman say if medical students are included?

I cannot at the moment add anything to what I have said. I will let the hon. and gallant Member know.

asked the Minister of Labour how many offers of release under Class B have been made to builders serving in the Forces; and how many acceptances have been received to the nearest convenient date.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the number of men in the Services who have been offered Class B release; and how many of them have accepted release under this scheme.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware of the large numbers of skilled artisans, including builders, plumbers, joiners and experienced men in export trades who are still retained in the Forces despite their, and their previous employers, wish to return to their civilian jobs; how many of such men have declined release under Scheme B; how many have applied for release under Scheme B and been refused; and what further steps he proposes to take 10 secure the early return of these men.

asked the Minister of Labour up to what specific groups it will be necessary to go in order to obtain, under the Class B scheme, a sufficient number of teachers for present requirements; and what is the highest numbered group from which teachers have to date been released under this scheme.

I have consulted the Service Departments, who alone can give this detailed information, and I have satisfied myself that its extraction would involve a disproportionate amount of time and work, and would, moreover, seriously interfere with action now being taken for the release of men for whom application has been made and whose services are urgently needed. Some of the information asked for was given in the comprehensive statement which I made last week, and I propose to issue a general statement of progress monthly. In all the circumstances, I do not feel justified in asking the Service Departments to delay work on current releases by supplying further detailed information about the progress of release of specified classes. I hope hon. Members will be ready to co-operate in this matter by not asking for detailed information which can only be given at the cost of slowing down the current work on releases.

Can the Minister say, generally, whether he is satisfied with the rate of acceptance in the Forces?

It is difficult to say that we are satisfied, but we are content with the matter as it now stands, and efforts are being made to encourage acceptance.

Is the Minister aware that the condition, not only of war damaged houses, but of other houses as well, gets worse and worse, and could not the right hon. Gentleman really think of some action to try to get more building operatives back on the job?

They are being brought back as quickly as we can contact them, but many of them are long distances away. We are, up to the present, content, as I say. We would like to see it better, but we cannot do better at the moment.

Is it possible for building employers to apply for a release of their men to the Ministry of Works?

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will assure builders released under Class B from the Forces that they will not be directed to work away from home.

Building operatives released from the Forces in Class B are, in general, placed in building work near their homes. At my request, the Service Departments have already arranged for this to be explained to men who are offered release in Class B, but it has been pointed out that it may be necessary to employ a man away from home to meet special circumstances.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will consider allowing N.F.S. service, prior to joining the Armed Forces, to be taken into account for the purpose of grouping under the age-plus-service demobilisation scheme.

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in considering the present arrangements for demobilisation, he will arrange that service in the police force, the N.F.S., and other similar services will count to some extent in connection with the demobilisation of men and women of the Fighting Services which they subsequently joined.

The answer is in the negative. This question has been fully considered and I should not feel justified in re-opening it now.

Might I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he has given full consideration to the fact that many of these members of the N.F.S. have served in blitzed areas far away from their homes, that they have seen as much enemy action as members of the Forces, and would he give special consideration to them?

All those factors, and other relative factors of a similar character, have been under consideration.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide the local authorities with interest-free loans as a means of stimulating the housing programme and of providing houses at a reasonable rent.

No, Sir. It is proposed shortly to introduce legislation providing increased assistance to local authorities in respect of houses built during the immediate post-war period, but this assistance will take the form of subsidies, and not of concessions on rates of interest.

Is the Chancellor aware that there is no justification for interest other than risks taken in lending money? As he has taken no risk in lending money to local authorities what reason is there for interest other than to keep in line with the robbers in the City? Further, is there any use in accepting interest on the one hand and handing out subsidies with the other?

I think the hon. Gentleman is embarking on large and general issues of economic theory, which we cannot go into now.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is now able to make known the details of his policy in connection with the control of investments in view of the widespread uncertainty among investors both large and small.

Until I introduce the Government's proposals for legislation on this subject, I cannot add anything to my reply to the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Woodford (Mr. Churchill) on 23rd August last.—[Official Report, Vol. 413, cols. 836–7.]

Is the Chancellor aware that statements of this nature are liable to do a great deal of harm if no concrete proposal is formulated so that the country can see what it is?

I have not seen any evidence of any harm resulting so far.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will announce the final arrangements for the payment of premiums and the settlement of claims of the War Damage Fund.

There is no separate War Damage Fund. Contributions and premiums are paid into the Exchequer and payments of claims are made out of money voted by Parliament. I have already announced, in reply to a question on 23rd August, that the instalment under Part I of the Act which fell due on 1st July this year will be the last. The payment of premiums under Part II ceased after 7th May last and, for some months previously, premiums had not been collected except in respect of new policies and policies for increased amounts. I cannot yet fix dates for the final payment of claims, as this will depend not only on financial considerations but also on the availability of supplies.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will consider the extension of the £80 earned income allowance now granted to a married woman, to the woman in receipt of a war widow's pension who is compelled to engage in gainful employment in order to maintain herself and her children;

(2) if he is aware of the hardship caused through the small personal allowance of £80 for Income Tax purposes to widows and spinsters who have to maintain a home out of their pensions and/or earnings; and whether he will take steps to increase the allowance at an early date.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware of the hardship imposed on taxicab proprietors as a result of the heavy Purchase Tax which is charged on new vehicles; and whether, having regard to the fact that all other vehicles used solely for public transport purposes are not subject to Purchase Tax, he will exempt new taxicabs from this tax.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider an early reduction of taxation for lower income groups and, in particular, more generous allowances for unmarried working men and women and old age pensioners.

I must ask my hon. Friends to await my Budget statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that clearing bank deposits rose by £415,000,000 in the period April-August of this year compared with only £173,000,000 in the corresponding period of last year, notwithstanding a decline in the current deficit for the period from £1,397,000,000 to £1,172,000,000; and, in view of the risk of inflation, will he try to reduce the proportion of the deficit covered by the creation of additional bank deposits.

Yes, Sir. But the figures up to the end of August this year were affected by the postponement of the Thanksgiving Weeks owing to the General Election. Those up to the end of September make a better showing. The best safeguard against the risk of inflation is large and continuous saving by the general public.

Could the right hon. Gentleman tell us what effect the hon. Member opposite had on Thanksgiving Week?

I am glad to say that there was an increased contribution from his constituency.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the Trading with the Enemy Act and Defence (Finance) Regulations, covering the transfer of bearer securities, apply to temporary documents such as letters of rights and allotment letters, involving much labour for bankers, members of the Stock Exchange and others and using much paper; and will he either relax the regulations so far as temporary documents are concerned, or amend Regulation 3A of the Defence (Finance) Regulations (Fifth Edition) of 14th October, 1942, to exclude renounceable allotment letters and letters of rights from the definition of bearer securities.

I have already made administrative arrangements on the lines suggested by my hon. Friend to treat transfers of these temporary documents on the same footing as registered securities, thereby effecting the desired saving of labour and paper.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give an assurance that future measures of taxation will allow small private firms to make a reasonable profit on their returns if they now resume their pre-war export trades.

I cannot give any such assurance, in advance of my Budget statement, regarding future measures of taxation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in view of the importance of increasing the number of qualified specialists of all kinds, whether he will call, as a matter of urgency, for a special report from the University Grants Committee on the immediate needs of the universities.

The University Grants Committee presented to my predecessor last January a full report on the financial needs of the universities, and effect has already been given to their recommendations for the current year. They are now engaged on a further survey.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the financial burden that would have to be borne by the British taxpayers to enable the Government to purchase the stock of the Bank of England.

Perhaps the hon. Member will study the Bank of England Bill, copies of which will be available in the Vote Office to-morrow afternoon.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say what benefits will be gained by the public over the present system?

Yes, but not to-day.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make sales of bloodstock subject to Purchase Tax.

I am advised that there are certain administrative difficulties, but I am considering my hon. Friend's suggestion.

While thanking my right hon. Friend for his reply, may I ask him whether, in considering the question, he will bear in mind the need for equating the position of electors in Bishop Auckland, who must pay Purchase Tax on boots and shoes, with that of rich Indian Princes who have just spent up to 28,000 guineas on yearlings without paying any Purchase Tax at all?

I appreciate the intention behind my hon. Friend's question, but I would remind him that utility footwear was exempted from Purchase Tax some years ago. In this particular case, the difficulty is that up to now Purchase Tax has not been levied upon animals of any kind, but I am looking into the matter.