§ Mr. Gouldasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what inquiries he is making when considering whether to refer to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission the purchase of the House of Fraser by the Al-Fayed family about the business backgrounds of members of that family; and if he is making any inquiries of the Egyptian Government.
§ Mr. FletcherMy right hon. Friend announced on 14 March that he had decided in accordance with the recommendation of the Director General of Fair Trading not to refer the proposed acquisition of House of Fraser plc by Al-Fayed Investment Holdings plc to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission. In considering whether to make a reference he took into account the statements made and assurances given by the Al-Fayed family about its intentions with regard to House of Fraser, the support
442W
§ Mr. ButcherImports from the Republic of Korea of IT equipment and components (defined as activity headings 3301, 3302, 3441, 3443, 3444, 3453 and 3454) in the past five years have been as follows (£'000):
£'000 1980 24,960 1981 24,184 1982 31,493 1983 46,072 1984 88,984
§ Dr McDonaldasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if, pursuant to his answer of 21 January, Official Report, column 278, he will provide a breakdown, by each sector of the information technology industry, namely, office machinery, electronic data processing equipment, telecommunications equipment, radio and electronic capital goods, electronic components and sub-assemblies and electronic consumer goods, of the balance of trade for each year since 1979.
§ Mr. Butcher[pursuant to his reply, 18 March1985, c. 346]
The information required is:
given to those statements and assurances by Kleinwort, Benson Ltd. and the fact that the board of House of Fraser and its advisers S G Warburg and Co. Ltd. intended to recommend the offer for acceptance.