§ 103. Mr. G. Thomasasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will order an inquiry into the methods by which the two great petrol companies have endeavoured to share the monopoly on all retail petrol sales throughout the country; and how much money each of the firms has expended in the process of securing these contracts, written or otherwise, with the petrol fillers.
§ Mr. H. StraussWithout expressing any opinion on the allegation contained in the first part of the Question, my right hon. Friend will consider the supply of petrol as a possible matter to refer to the Monopolies and Restrictive Practices Commission, when further subjects are selected.
With regard to the second part, my right hon. Friend the Minister of Fuel and Power told my hon. Friend the Member for Cheadle (Mr. Shepherd) on 17th March that he was seeking further information about the costs incurred by 185W petrol distributors in connection with exclusive selling arrangements. I understand that these inquiries have not yet been completed, but that the Minister of Fuel and Power would not think it proper to divulge the costs incurred by individual companies.