The Minister contended that the oil companies held up supplies early this year hoping for an increase in prices. Is that still the Minister's position?

That was never my position.

Did the Minister not accuse the oil companies of not cooperating with the Government in not releasing stocks and that he had introduced, under the 1927 Bill, an order instructing them to release stocks, the implication being that they had not being doing it up to then?

After the order was made there was an immediate relief in the situation.

Was it because the oil companies released more stock?

Is it not true that the oil companies, as the Minister for Finance revealed last week, released 11.6 per cent more stocks in the first three months in 1979 than in 1978 and that this information was available to the Minister at the time he went on with this public show?

Is the Deputy suggesting now that there was no shortage at all and that I should have done nothing?

I am happy to say that after I made the order under the 1971 Act the problem seemed to come to an end very rapidly.

It was the Minister's fault. He did absolutely nothing for three months except to make arrangements to go abroad.

Is the Minister satisfied now that with the present arrangements there is no danger that oil companies with their monopoly control over distribution can withhold supplies in the future in anticipation of price increases? I ask this since it was the public feeling during the last shortage that it was artificially created in anticipation of increased prices?

That is a separate question and it is dealt with later in the Order Paper.