§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Energy if, pursuant to his statement on the importance of securing British ownership for the proposed new company Britoil, in the second sitting of the Standing Committee on the Oil and Gas (Enterprise) Bill, column 69, he will give details of the terms proposed to be included in the articles of association which will achieve it.
§ Mr. GrayMy right hon. Friend made no such statement. Our aim is to set up an independent British oil company and to provide safeguards against unacceptable changes in control in its articles, whatever the nationality of the parties involved. I would refer the hon. Member to what I said on Second Reading about the approach which we envisage will be in the articles.—[Vol. 16, c. 171–2.]