asked the Minister for Trade, Commerce and Tourism if he is aware of the difficulties being experienced in different parts of the country by petrol retailers at this time; and if he proposes to take any steps to deal with the matter.

In accordance with the recommendation of the National Prices Commission, I allowed an increase of 2.13 pence per gallon, excluding VAT, in the retailers' gross profit margin on petrol, with effect from 1 March 1983. I do not propose to take any further steps in the matter.

Would the Minister agree that in certain areas around the country at this time petrol retailers are having a very lean time? Would he agree that it would be necessary to give retailers, because of the huge costs involved in holding stocks, a small increase every time the price has risen generally?

As the Deputy will appreciate, I am mainly guided by the recommendations of the National Prices Commission with regard to applications of this nature. The last application was complied with. I might add that there was considerable agitation before the recent March increase was given, but since then I have had no representations whatsoever from the retailers.

One final supplementary. Is there any substance in the rumour going around in these circles at this time that it is being contemplated to allow unrestricted price structuring in the retail petrol trade?

A question is tabled on the subject matter of decontrol of petrol prices and I shall be answering the Deputy's question shortly.

Would the Minister agree that, given the fact that about 40 per cent of the retail trade is controlled by the multi-national oil companies and that in those retail outlets there is a particularly large turnover involved, it is inappropriate that those multi-national owners of the large retail outlets should be given the same percentage as the small retailers to whom Deputy Flynn has referred?

I do not necessarily accept the figures quoted by the Deputy. In fact, there have been a number of misleading statements made with regard to the control of oil products.

A final supplementary question from Deputy Flynn, please.

The 2.13 pence granted to retailers recently did not take into consideration any question concerning stocks. Would the Minister be prepared to include in the next price increase an element in respect of the stocks which necessarily must be held over at enormous expense by these people?

I am sure that the Deputy would agree that it would be very unwise of me to give a blank cheque during supplementary questions in the Dáil——

A Cheann Comhairle——

No, I am not going to have a debate on this subject.

——on the particular approach taken, not only by me but by the National Prices Commission, in regard to future applications which may be made concerning this.

On a point of order, would it not be in order for me to ask a question? The Minister referred to a figure which I gave as one which he did not accept. I wished to ask him to clarify the position, purely on a point of information. I know exactly what the Minister is saying.

That is not a point of order, Deputy. Secondly, the number of supplementary questions which may be allowed is at the absolute discretion of the Chair.

I appeal to the Chair——

If the Minister wishes to give the information, I have no objection.

The next two questions are on roughly the same subject.

This arises out of the Minister's reply to my supplementary question.

Will the Deputy please ask the question?

The Minister mentioned that the figure of 40 per cent to which I referred as being controlled by the multi-national companies was not one which he would accept. Would he give me some notion of the correct percentage of outlets held by the multi-nationals, if it is not 40 per cent?

The Deputy will recall that what I said was that I do not necessarily accept the figures which were given, that there have been a number of speculative figures given in the recent past on the question of control in pricing of oil products. In view of that, I am sure the Deputy would accept that it would be very unwise of me to accept figures which are casually mentioned in the House.

5.