§ 17. Mr. Doddsasked the President of the Board of Trade why he has not yet referred for investigation the activities of the oil industry to the Monopolies Commission.
§ Mr. P. ThorneycroftI have already announced a full programme of work for the Commission, and I do not consider that a specific reference on these matters would be justified at present.
§ Mr. DoddsDoes the right hon. Gentleman appreciate that he has been bearing this in mind since 1952, and does what he said just now mean that he disagrees with the sub-committee of the United Nations which said that this country and other European countries are paying far too much for their oil? Does he disagree with that?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftIt is for me to say what should be referred to the Monopolies Commission and not a sub-committee of the United Nations.