asked the Chancellor of the exchequer what will be the estimated loss to the revenue in the current financial year and in a full year, respectively, consequent on the rationing of petrol and oils.

The loss of revenue will, of course, depend on the length of time for which rationing has to be maintained. It is estimated that it will amount to about £6 million a month.

Can the right hon. Gentleman tell the House how he proposes to recoup his losses in this direction? Further, can he give us any assurance that there will not be further additional Bills consequent on the Government's action in Suez? Can he further say whether this particular bill is in addition to that which he announced in the House about a fortnight ago?

I was asked about additional expenditure the other day. This is a question of loss of revenue, and I have given the figure.

Mr. H. Wilson:

In view of this serious figure, plus the loss of revenue from the licensing of cars and Purchase Tax revenue on new cars—all this on top of the £50 million to which he referred the other day—does the Chancellor still maintain that the main structure of his Budget remains unaffected by the economic effects of the Suez crisis?

Broadly speaking. I expect that the Budget will produce a substantial surplus—slightly reduced, no doubt, but we cannot tell until the outturn—of the order which I estimated.