Written Answers To Questions
Friday, 25th March, 1955
Germany (Occupation Costs)
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the negotiation for the extension of arrangements made with the Federal German Government on occupation costs, referred to in paragraph 5 of the Note on Financial Arrangements in the White Paper on the Paris Agreements, Command Paper No. 9304, has been concluded.
Yes. Arrangements have been made with the Federal German Government under which the Federal Republic will continue to make available as occupation costs an average monthly sum of DM 600 million until the end of the occupation or 30th June, 1955, whichever is the earlier.Following the completion of the constitutional procedure necessary to enable the Federal German Government to deposit instruments of ratification of the Paris Agreements, the administrative arrangements will be modified. Each month DM 100 million will be set aside into a common pool which will be used to finance N.A.T.O. common infrastructure (already financed by a special allotment), Occupation damage claims, and a programme of particular defence measures to be agreed jointly between the three Powers and the Federal Republic.
Fuel And Power
Shale Oil Industry
asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will make a statement about the shale oil industry; and how far Her Majesty's Government have proposals to assist that industry towards a reasonably secure future.
The matter is being considered by Her Majesty's Government and my right hon. Friend has no statement to make at present.
Motor Spirit And Fuel Oils (Consumption)
asked the Minister of Fuel and Power to publish figures of United Kingdom consumption of petrol and fuel oil for the years 1938 and 1945–54, inclusive.
Deliveries into inland consumption of motor spirit and fuel oil in the United Kingdom are already published in the Ministry's Annual Statistical Digests as follows:
| Thousand tons | |||||
| — | Motor spirit | Fuel oil | |||
| Used in refineries | Other inland | Total | |||
| 1938 | … | 4,831 | 183 | 628 | 811 |
| 1945 | … | (a)— | 150 | 227 | 377 |
| 1946 | … | (a)— | 302 | 596 | 898 |
| 1947 | … | 4,594 | 343 | 1,936 | 2,279 |
| 1948 | … | 4,265 | 422 | 2,742 | 3,164 |
| 1949 | … | 4,671 | 499 | 2,795 | 3,294 |
| 195 | … | 5,195 | 650 | 3,093 | 5,743 |
| 1951 | … | 5,454 | 871 | 3,418 | 4,289 |
| 1952 | … | 5,441 | 1,256 | 3,457 | 4,713 |
| 1953 | … | 5,740 | 1,509 | 3,815 | 5,324 |
| 1954(b) | … | 5,922 | 1,923 | 4,416 | 6,339 |
| (a) Motor spirit is included with aviation spirit in the figures published for the years 1945 and 1946. | |||||
| (6) Provisional figures not yet published. | |||||
Gas, Diesel And Fuel Oils (Nationalised Bodies)
asked the Minister of Fuel and Power the deliveries of gas, diesel and fuel oils to nationalised undertakings for the years 1949 to 1954, inclusive.
Following are the figures:
| Thousand statute tons | ||||
| — | National Coal Board | British Electricity Authority | Gas Council | British Transport Commission |
| (a) | (b) | (c) | ||
| 1949 | (d) | 54 | 510 | 310 |
| 1950 | (d) | 72 | 540 | 405 |
| 1951 | (d) | 85 | 557 | 445 |
| 1952 | 7 | 64 | 462 | 459 |
| 1953 | 10 | 95 | 454 | 467 |
| 1954 | 12 | 174 | 557 | (e) 313 |
| (a) Consumption for generation only, including usage by the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board. | ||||
| (b) Deliveries for gas making. | ||||
| (c) Consumption by British Railways, London Transport Executive, Provincial and Scottish Bus Services and British Road Services. | ||||
| (d) Deliveries prior to 1952 not readily available. | ||||
| (e) Excludes British Road Services which consumed 150,000 tons in 1953. | ||||
Scientific Conference, Geneva (Representation)
asked the Prime Minister if he will consider making arrangements for an all-party delegation of Members of this House to attend, in the capacity of observers, the forthcoming conference of scientists at Geneva.
The conference is designed for scientists, and the papers to be read and the ensuing discussions will be technical. Under the rules of the conference, the number of scientific representatives and advisers from each country is limited. I do not think, therefore, that the attendance of a formal delegation of Members of this House would be either profitable or practicable. The proceedings of the conference will be reported in the Press and will be published in full.
Nigeria (Air Accident)
asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will make a further statement about the air disaster between Enugu and Calabar on 5th February last.
As the cause of the accident is still under investigation it would not be appropriate for me to make any further statement at present.