Monopolies and Mergers Commission (Reports)

HC Deb 24 April 1986 vol 96 cc217-9W

Mr. Wareing

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many reports he has received from the Monopolies and Mergers Commission in each of the last six years; how many gave rise to Government action; if he will list their subject matter; if he has any plans to alter the Commission's terms of reference; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Howard

The reports received from the Monopolies and Mergers Commission in the years 1980–85 are as follows. Of the total of 76 the Government took action on 55.

There are no plans at present to alter the commission's terms of reference. However, my right hon. Friend hopes soon to announce proposals for a general review of competition law and policy, and the role of the commission would naturally fall within the scope of such a review.

Year and Number Received	Subject Matter of Reports	Number giving rise to Government action
	Bristol Omnibus Co. Ltd./Cheltenham District Traction Co/City of Cardiff District Council/Trent Motor Traction Co. Ltd./West Midlands PTE (Competition Act S.11)
	Anglian Water Authority/NW Water Authority (sewerage) (Competition Act S.11)
1983—14	Sunlight/Johnson/Initial (merger)	9
	Linfood/Fitch Lovell (merger)
	Abele/Illingworth Morris (merger)
	Ibstock Johnson/London Brick Co. (merger)
	Taubman/Sothebys (merger)
	Grand Metropolitan/Pleasurama/Trident (merger)
	Cinema Films'(monopoly)
	Caravan Sites in Northern Ireland (monopoly)
	London Electricity Board (Competition Act)
	Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd. (Competition Act S.11)
	National Coal Board (Competition Act S.11)
	Yorkshire Electricity Board (Competition Act S.11)
	Civil Aviation Authority (Competition Act S.11)
	London Transport Executive (Competition Act S.11)
1984—7	Hepworth Ceramic/Steetley (merger)	6
	P & O/Trafalgar House (merger)
	GKN/AE (merger)
	South Wales Electricity Board (Competition Act S.11)
	Post Office: Letter Post Service (Competition Act S.11)
	Yorkshire Water Authority (Competition Act S.11)
	Revenue collection system of four electricity boards (Competition Act S.11)
1985—15	Lonrho/House of Fraser (merger)	10
	Dee/Booker McConnell (merger)
	BET/Initial (merger)
	Scottish and Newcastle Breweries/Matthew Brown plc (merger)
	British Telecom/Mitel (merger)
	The Birmingham Post and Mail Holdings plc/Yattenden Investment Trust Ltd. (newspaper merger)
	United Newspapers plc/Fleet Holdings plc (newspaper merger)
	Tampons (monopoly)
	Animal By-Products (monopoly)
	Postal Franking Machines (monopoly)
	Ford (Competition Act)
	BBC and ITP (Competition Act)
	BR Board: Property Activities (Competition Act S.11)
	North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board (Competition Act S.11)
	British Airports Authority (Competition Act S.11)
TOTAL—76		TOTAL—55