§ 68. Mr. Wingfield Digbyasked the Minister of Power by what authority the privately-owned oil industry has been asked to stop advertising because the gas and electricity supply industries 100W had advertised services which they proved unable to provide.
§ Mr. Frederick LeeNo specific authority is necessary for the Government to discuss matters of national interest with private industry. I explained to the leading oil companies the action which the nationalised industries were taking to suspend advertising for the next three months. I was informed of the companies' intentions and was satisfied that the scale of their advertising of oil heating in the next month or two would be modest and limited.