§ Jackie BallardTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the retail petrol stations which he has visited since January 2000 to discuss matters affecting their businesses; and if he will make a statement. [147046]
§ Mrs. LiddellThe Department keeps in touch regularly with representatives of the petrol retailing industry, and such discussions would include factors affecting business performance.
§ Mrs. SpelmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the present policy of the EU is on vertical control in the retail motor fuels industry. [146975]
§ Mrs. LiddellNew EC competition rules covering supply and distribution agreements containing vertical restraints came into effect on 1 July 2000 (see Commission Regulation (EC) No. 2790–1999 of 22 December 1999 and Commission Notice 2000/C 291–01 of 13 October 2000). The new rules supersede previous sector-specific rules, including some which applied to the retail motor fuels industry.
§ Mrs. SpelmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what his policy is on vertical pricing control by oil companies in the retail motor fuels market; and if he will make a statement; [146969]
(2) what is his policy on vertical control in the UK retail motor fuels industry. [146974]
§ Dr. HowellsUnder UK competition legislation, the Director General of Fair Trading is responsible for monitoring markets and considering allegations of anti-competitive behaviour and has power to act against harmful vertical agreements.
The Director General of Fair Trading reported his conclusions concerning the wholesale petrol market on 21 November 2000. He found no evidence of anticompetitive behaviour but said that he will continue to monitor this market very closely.
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§ Mrs. SpelmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to meet representatives of the retail petrol industry and oil companies to discuss a code of practice; and if he will make a statement. [146967]
§ Mrs. LiddellMy hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary with responsibility for consumers and corporate affairs, will be meeting representatives of the independent petrol retail sector and oil companies shortly to discuss a code of practice.
§ Mrs. SpelmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how the value and tax of the vapour which passes from retail petrol stations' tanks back into the fuel tanker when motor fuels are delivered is accounted for. [146972]
§ Mrs. LiddellEvaporative losses occurring between loaded petrol from a storage terminal and delivering it to a retail site have been minimised by the use of vapour recovery systems. Under EC Directive 94/63/EC all storage and distribution terminals delivering more than 50,000 tonnes per annum of petrol already operate vapour recovery equipment, and all other terminals will have to comply by 2001 or 2004 (depending on the volume of their deliveries). In December 1996, the directive was implemented in England, Scotland and Wales through regulations and directions made under Part I of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. It is being implemented separately in Northern Ireland through the Industrial Pollution Control (Northern Ireland) Order 1997.
Prior to this legislation, vapours will have been lost. These vapour losses were part of the delivered volume of petrol. The oil companies at the point at which oil leaves the refinery pay excise duty on mineral oils. As vapour recovery systems are put in place after the duty point, duty has been already paid on the vapour when it is delivered in a tank to the retail site. Since implementation of vapour recovery, vapours are returned to the delivery
620W
Generator Site Name/Location Capacity MW DNC Wales Scottish Power plc Moel Rhiwlug Wind Farm, Pentrefoelas, Clwyd 8.278 Scottish Power plc Llyn Alwen Wind Farm, Pentrefoelas, Clwyd 8.278 Renewable Energy Systems Ltd Mynydd Clogau Wind Farm, Nr Adfa, Newtown, Powys 4.253 South Wales Power Ltd/SWALEC Gelligaer 'A' Wind Farm, Mynydd Fochriw, Fochriw. Mid Glamorgan 4.214 South Wales Power Ltd/SWALEC Gelligaer 'B' Wind Farm, Mynydd Fochriw, Fochriw, Mid Glamorgan 4.214 National Wind Power Ltd Jordanston Wind Farm, Fishguard, Dyfed 4.214 National Wind Power Ltd Mynydd Yr Hendre Wind Farm, Cefn Coch, Newtown, Powys 12.492 Windjen Power Ltd Mynydd Glyn Lws Wind Farm, Betws yn Rhos, Colwyn Bay, Clwyd 1.542 Powergen Renewables Ltd Nant Carfan Wind Farm, Machynlleth, Powys 8.951 Cambrian Wind Energy Ltd Cefn Croes, Devils Bridge. Ceredigion, Dyfed 16.555 Windjen Power Ltd Tir Mostyn and Foel Goch, Nantglyn, Denbigh, Clwyd 9.149 Windjen Power Ltd Blaen Bowi Windcluster, Moelfre, Capel Iwan, Dyfed 1.524 Windjen Power Ltd Llethercynnon Farm, Nr Garthbrengy, Powys 3.049 Ecogen Ltd Blaencorrwg Wind Farm, Port Talbot, West Glamorgan 8.303 B W Ops Ltd Fforch, Nant Y Moel, Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan 0.937 Three Way Wind Ltd Rhoscrowther Wind Cluster, Angle, Pembroke, Dyfed 0.947 Renewable Development Co Ltd Bryn Du, Bryn Du Hills, South Of A44 At Pont Rydgaled, Powys 7.059 England Ecogen Ltd Humble Hill Wind Farm, Humble Hill, Kielder Forest, Hexham, Northumberland 33.746 Econet Ltd Stockton Wind Turbine, East of Layden Lane Track, Norwich, Norfolk 0.632 Econet Ltd Brundish Wind Turbine, East of Brandish Road, Stockton, Beccles, Suffolk 0.632 tanker. These are not accounted for as they represent less than 0.2 per cent. of delivered volume and consist mainly of butane rather than petrol.