§ Mr. Duffyasked the Secretary of State for Industry, further to his reply of 15 July, whether he expects to receive firm proposals from Johnson Firth Brown and British Steel on the proposed Phoenix III joint venture before the parliamentary Summer Recess; and whether the Government's approval of such proposals will be conditional on, among other points, a referral of the proposed merger to the Office of Fair Trading for possible recommendation to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.
§ Mr. ButcherIt is for the companies to decide when to submit firm proposals. Any proposals involving a merger which comes within the terms of the Fair Trading Act would be considered by the Office of Fair Trading.