§ Mr. McNamaraasked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will consider the monopoly situation caused by the new contract proposals by the Esso oil company with its agents.
§ Mrs. Sally Oppenheim[pursuant to her reply, 24 April 1980, c. 214]: The Monopolies and Mergers Commission report on petrol wholesaling was published last year. Following the report, the Director General of Fair Trading is monitoring trends in the oil companies' ownership in petrol 375W retail outlets, and he has assured me that he will continue to keep a close watch on the industry. It would be open to him to make a further monopoly reference to the Commission, under the Fair Trading Act 1973, if he were satisfied of the case for doing so. Under the Competition Act 1980 the Director-General also has new powers to investigate anti-competitive practices by individual firms, and to refer them to the Commission. I have drawn his atention to the representations which I have received relating to Esso, and he will no doubt consider whether any investigation under these Acts should be undertaken.