HC Deb 11 November 1999 vol 337 cc716-7W
Mr. Boswell

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer of 16 February 1999,Official Report, column 664, concerning petrol prices and petrol taxation in member countries of the European Union, if he will update those figures. [98107]

Mrs. Liddell

The latest figures for unleaded petrol prices are for mid-September 1999. The information requested is as follows:

Average price (pence per litre)
Total Of which: taxes % of tax
United Kingdom 73.0 58.1 79.5
Austria 54.6 35.8 65.7
Belgium 60.3 43.2 71.7
Denmark 63.6 45.5 71.6
Finland 68.4 48.5 70.9
France 63.9 49.0 76.7
Germany 60.1 42.7 70.9
Greece 43.6 26.3 60.3
Ireland 50.5 33.2 65.8
Italy 64.3 45.7 71.1
Luxembourg 47.1 29.1 61.8
Netherlands 66.9 47.9 71.6
Portugal 51.9 33.9 65.4
Spain 47.6 30.6 64.2
Sweden 65.3 46.2 70.9

Comparisons between these figures and those for December 1998, published in the answer of 16 February 1999, Official Report, column 664, are affected by exchange rate movements over the period.

Mrs. Browning

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many complaints were received from petrol retailers by the Director General of Fair Trading in(a) 1998 and (b) the first six months of 1999 concerning their contracts with petroleum suppliers; and what action was taken in response to such complaints. [98178]

Dr. Howells

This is a matter for the Director General of Fair Trading.

The Office of Fair Trading has advised that they received approximately 57 complaints from 40 retailers concerning their contracts with petroleum suppliers in 1998, and approximately 15 complaints from 11 retailers in the first six months of 1999. No formal action was taken as a result of the complaints, as the Office of Fair Trading did not consider that any of the complaints raised competition issues.

Mrs. Browning

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the terms of reference are for the Director General of Fair Trading's review of petrol undertakings; when the review will be completed; and if he will make a statement. [98233]

Dr. Howells

The Director General of Fair Trading has a duty under section 2 of the Fair Trading Act 1973 to keep under review the carrying on of commercial activities in the United Kingdom.

Pursuant to these duties, he is reviewing the informal undertakings given in 1966 by petrol wholesalers to establish whether there is a case for removing, altering or retaining the remaining undertakings.

The timing of this review is a matter for the Director General of Fair Trading.

Mrs. Browning

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what guidance he has given to the oil industry concerning the disposal of any stocks of leaded petrol that may remain on 31 December. [98177]

Mr. Hill

I have been asked to reply.

No specific guidance has been given, as the disposal of leaded petrol stocks by 31 December 1999 is a matter for oil companies to manage under existing controls. Stocks have, however, already been depleted substantially by the changeover to lead replacement petrol (LRP), encouraged by the lower duty rate of LRP relative to leaded petrol that came into effect from 1 October 1999. An ongoing amount of leaded petrol, up to a limit of 0.5 per cent. of total annual petrol sales, may also to be sold after 31 December 1999 under the terms of directive 98/70/EC. Regulations specifying the conditions under which this derogation will apply—and which implement the directive requirements generally—will be laid very shortly.

Mrs. Browning

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what reports he has received in 1999 of smuggled petroleum products being offered to petrol filling stations. [98179]

Mr. Byers

My Officials have received representations from a number of oil companies and trade associations in 1999 concerning the smuggling of petroleum products into Northern Ireland. Information given as a result of these representations has been passed to the Northern Ireland Office and Her Majesty's Customs and Excise.

Mrs. Browning

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many petrol filling stations in the UK closed in(a) 1998 and (b) the first six months of 1999. [98180]

Mr. Byers

In 1998, 1,066 petrol filling stations closed in the UK. Figures for the first six months of 1999, are not yet available.