XN000022-1974-04-08 — Page 2

ROIDAY, 2-IL 8, 1974

OIL SUPPLIES UNIT TO CONTINUE ON PERMANENT BASIS-

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THE OIL SUPPLIES UNIT IS TO CONTINUE ON A PERMANENT BASIS

AS A NEW DIVISION OF THE COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT, IT

WAS ANNOUNCED TODAY.

~

MR. ROY PORTER, THE DIRECTOR OF OIL SUPPLIES, HAS RETURNED

TO THE DEPARTMENT TO ACT AS DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY CÁDMINISTRATION AND INDUSTRY). HE REPLACES MR. JAMES

MCGREGOR WHO IS NOW THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY.

MR. PORTER'S NEW RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE OVERSIGHT OF

OIL SUPPLIES, AND THERE WILL BE NO SLACKENING OFF IN THE FUEL

CONSERVATION DRIVE.

+THERE IS STILL A WORLD SHORTAGE OF FUEL, AND IT WOULD BE

PREMATURE TO RELAX OUR EFFORTS TO ECONOMISE AT THIS STAGE, HE

STRESSED.

MR. PORTER POINTED OUT, HOWEVER, THAT GOVERNMENT PROCEDURES

AND SYSTEMS FOR DEALING WITH THE OIL SUPPLY SITUATION WERE NOW

WELL ESTABLISHED, AND THIS ENABLED SOME REORGANISATION TO

TAKE PLACE.

+WHEN THE OIL SUPPLIES UNIT WAS CREATED IT WAS NOT KNOWN

HOW LONG IT WOULD NEED TO CONTINUE IN OPERATION, + HE ADDED. +1T

HAS NOW BEEN DECIDED THAT IT SHOULD FORM A NEW DIVISION OF THE

COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT.+

MR. ALEC PURVES WILL ACT AS AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY TO HEAD THE OIL SUPPLIES DIVISION. HE HAS SERVED WITH THE OIL SUPPLIES UNIT SINCE IT WAS SET UP LAST NOVEMBER

FOLLOWING THE CUTBACK IN OIL PRODUCTION.

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