§ Lord Morris of Manchesterasked Her Majesty's Government:
What further representations the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has received from the president of the British Veterinary Association regarding the investigation into the supply within the United Kingdom of prescription-only veterinary medicines; what reply is being sent; and what action is being taken. [HL3100]
83WA
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Sainsbury of Turville)The president of the British Veterinary Association, Peter Jinman, wrote to my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on 22 May 2003. A reply will be sent to Mr Jinman shortly.
My right honourable friend has asked the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to discuss with interested parties the terms of orders that could be made under the Fair Trading Act 1973 (FTA) to implement the Competition Commission's proposed remedies. Those interested parties include the British Veterinary Association. The OFT will report back in the summer. The Secretary of State will then consult publicly on her intention to make an appropriate order under the FTA.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is currently considering the Competition Commission's regulatory recommendations and will publish a response in due course.