§ Mr. Colvinasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the Government's position regarding the purchase in 1975 by the Bank of England of the Burmah Oil Company's British Petroleum shareholding.
§ Mr. LawsonThe Burmah Oil Company Limited has instituted legal proceedings against the Bank of England for relief in respect of this sale. The Government do not186W consider it proper to intervene between the two parties to this action and we believe that the legal processes should be allowed to run their course in the normal way.