§ Mr. Ensorasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on his policy with regard to the undertaking given to his predecessor by the British Oxygen Company Limited in March 1958, following the Report of the Monopolies Commission on industrial and medical gases, about the acquisition by that company of other producers of oxygen, acetylene and propane.
§ Mr. JayI have agreed to release the Company from this undertaking.
Since the passing of the Monopolies and Mergers Act, 1965, I have ample powers to scrutinise proposed mergers, and, in doing so in this field, I should be able to take account of conditions currently prevailing in the industry.