§ 27. Mr. Freudasked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will refer the market in motor fuel in Great Britain to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.
§ Mrs. Sally OppenheimNo. Monopoly references concerning the private sector are normally a matter for the Director46W General of Fair Trading. The Director General has already referred certain practices by petrol wholesalers to the Commission, whose report published in January this year did not find the practices concerned to operate against the public interest. I understand that the Director General has no plans for a further reference at present. However, in line with a suggestion by the Commission, he is keeping under review the level of company ownership of petrol stations.