Restrictive Trade Practices (Hansard, 18 January 1989)

§ 8. Mr. French
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on his policy on restrictive trade practices.

§ Mr. Newton
The Government are planning fundamental reform of restrictive trade practices legislation. Proposals were outlined in my Department's Green Paper published in March 1988 and have received widespread support. We intend to move to a system which is more closely aligned to European Community law and under which agreements with anti-competitive effects would be prohibited.

§ Mr. French
When reaching his decision on the action to take, will my right hon. Friend consider extending the powers of the Office of Fair Trading so that it may consider restrictive practices as they affect the location of pharmacies and the competitive pricing of pharmaceutical products?

§ Mr. Newton
My hon. Friend will know—I know this from former ministerial responsibilities—that the provisions governing the location of pharmacies, including the work of the rural dispensing committee, operate under other legislation. However, I shall certainly draw what my hon. Friend has said to the attention of my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Health.

§ Mr. Hoyle
Will the Minister consider restrictive practices in relation to the professions, especially the legal profession and accountancy?

§ Mr. Newton
The hon. Gentleman will be aware that that is a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor, who is currently considering some of those issues.

§ Sir Peter Emery
Does my right hon. Friend realise that there is considerable interest in the decision reached yesterday by the High Court concerning the Lonrho and Harrods affair—

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. That matter is sub judice.

§ Sir Peter Emery
I do not think that what I am about to say is sub judice, Mr. Speaker. I was going to ask whether we can have an assurance that the Minister's decision will be made public as soon as possible?

§ Mr. Newton
You, Mr. Speaker, made the point that I must make. Although I am aware that there is considerable interest in that matter, I am also aware that my right hon. and noble Friend lodged an appeal yesterday against the court decisions which are being considered today by the Court of Appeal. My hon. Friend will understand that in those circumstances there is nothing that I can say.

§ Mr. Austin Mitchell
When the Minister settles down to decide whether he has a policy on restrictive trade practices, will he do something about the estate agents who have grown so fat on the Government's housing bubble, or is he just waiting for his fat friend the Chancellor to solve the problem for him by killing the housing market altogether with the insane escalation of interest rates?

§ Mr. Newton
The position on estate agents is that my hon. Friend the Minister for Industry and Consumer Affairs will shortly complete what have been extensive discussions with trade bodies. He will then announce our conclusions which will, of course, take account of the views expressed by the Director-General of Fair Trading in his recently published review of the Estate Agents Act 1979. I am sure that my hon. Friend, who is well known for considering all views, will take account of those expressed by the hon. Gentleman.