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Industrial Action (Grangemouth)

Does the Secretary of State agree that the seriousness of the situation is underlined by the fact that if the walk-out goes ahead on Sunday, it will be the first of its type in any UK oil refinery for no less than 73 years? Indeed, the chief executive of INEOS, Tom Crotty, has described how the strike will"““cause chaos and disruption for the people of Scotland””—" irrespective of the best efforts of Governments either here or in Holyrood. We have heard reports over the last few days of people queuing at petrol stations and forecourts in Inverness. Maintaining fuel supplies to the highlands does not mean maintaining them only in the populous centres such as Inverness, Dingwall and Fort William, but in Wester Ross, Skye and Lochalsh and the small isle areas, which are very much at the end of the line physically and require reassurance. Will the Government take up the suggestion of my colleague at Holyrood, Nicol Stephen, that in view of the anecdotal reports we have heard of prices being jacked up despite the reassurance and the fact that there are no immediate shortages, the Competition Commission may in due course wish to look at the activities of the oil companies over this period?