Oral Answers to Questions — Fuel and Power – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 27 November 1947.
Mr Sidney Shephard
, Newark
12:00,
27 November 1947
asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will instruct regional Petroleum Officers to grant supplementary petrol to persons engaged on official political work.
Mr Hugh Gaitskell
, Leeds South
Regional petroleum officers already have these instructions.
Mr Sidney Shephard
, Newark
Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in this instance the chairman of a local branch of a Constituency association applied to the regional petroleum officer and was referred back to the political agent——
Mr Richard Stokes
, Ipswich
At Gravesend?
Mr Sidney Shephard
, Newark
—and will he issue further instructions that the regional petroleum officers should grant petrol to people who are doing this class of work?
Mr Hugh Gaitskell
, Leeds South
These arrangements are all agreed with the chief agents of the parties concerned, and it would be undesirable to leave complete discretion in this matter to the regional petroleum officers.
Sir Waldron Smithers
, Orpington
asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what, in convenient categories, are the salaries paid to the 197 extra staff recruited to deal with the applications for supplementary petrol ration, also of the 60 officers borrowed; and what is the total cost including office accommodation and travelling and subsistence allowances.
Mr Hugh Gaitskell
, Leeds South
The 197 are grade III clerks. The 60 are mainly junior clerical officers. The scale of pay for grade III clerks varies from 41s. to 116s. a week and that for clerical officers from £140 to £450 per annum. The total cost of the additional staff is estimated at £5,000 per month.
Sir Waldron Smithers
, Orpington
Why is it necessary to incur this extra waste of money? Is not the remedy worse than the disease? May I further ask the Minister whether, in the event of these officers giving a decision with which the appellant is not satisfied, there is any court of appeal, and to whom?
Mr. Deputy-Speaker:
That matter does not arise out of the original Question.
Mr Reginald Manningham-Buller
, Daventry
asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether petrol is issued to parents of children who are weekly boarders to take them to and from their schools at weekends.
Mr Hugh Gaitskell
, Leeds South
Only in special circumstances, where distances are comparatively short and public transport is not practicable.
Mr Alan Lennox-Boyd
, Mid Bedfordshire
asked the Minister of Fuel and Power the reasons for not allowing holders of supplementary petrol allowances to use the petrol in any car for which they are prepared to pay tax and insurance fees.
Mr Hugh Gaitskell
, Leeds South
Allowances are made on a scale to enable the applicant to cover a certain mileage. Each allowance must therefore be related to a specific car, the approximate capacity of which is known.
Mr Alan Lennox-Boyd
, Mid Bedfordshire
Is not one result of this regulation that a great deal of frustration is caused to a large number of people, and revenue, in the form of tax and insurance fees, suffers considerably?
Mr Hugh Gaitskell
, Leeds South
No, Sir. It would obviously be an impossible position for us not to know the horsepower of the car otherwise there would be great scope for evasion. We are prepared, in special cases, to consider the issue of an allowance for two cars, if full particulars are provided.
Sir John Crowder
, Finchley
Can arrangements be made for garage proprietors to use their petrol on a second car, if the first car breaks down? At present they cannot use petrol for the second car without going through the paraphernalia of sending in the registration book and so on.
Mr Hugh Gaitskell
, Leeds South
I have already said that we are prepared to consider special cases of that kind.
Sir Allan Noble
, Chelsea
asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether Service men and women on leave will be granted supplementary petrol allowances for shopping, etc., on the same basis as civilians.
Mr Hugh Gaitskell
, Leeds South
Yes, Sir.
Sir Allan Noble
, Chelsea
Will the Minister make arrangements to see that dealing with these cases is expedited, because at present probably they will have finished their leave before the allowances get-round to them?
Mr Hugh Gaitskell
, Leeds South
I will do my best.
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