§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will bring forward proposals to deal with short-term profit seeking by United States controlled oil companies which are planning to exploit the Iranian crisis by redirected crude supplies from this country to other markets, as outlined in the Conoco document sent to him by the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr.
§ Mr. BennAny action by oil companies which injured United Kingdom interest by abornmal re-direction of oil supplies would not be acceptable to Her Majesty's Government. I am keeping a close watch on the position and will take the matter up with any company which seems to be acting in this way.
I have been assured by Conoco that the document referred to is not a statement of company policy and that it is not acting as suggested in the document. I am discussing the question further with it this evening (5 March).