§ Mr. Sillarsasked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if she will institute an inquiry into the relationship between large oil companies and those who run petrol filling stations on a franchise from such companies, with particular reference to rental charged to franchise holders and the service given to consumers by the franchise method of retail distribution of petrol and other products.
Mr. Alan WilliamsIn consultation with me the Director General of Fair Trading is considering urgently the terms of an early further reference to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission of certain aspects of the retail market for petrol. Among the matters which he has under consideration for inclusion in the reference are the problems arising from the ownership of sites by oil companies.