§ Mr. MealeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will place in the Library the findings of the Lloyds merchant bank inquiry into the feasibility of privatising the Tote;
(2) if he will publish the findings of the Lloyds merchant bank inquiry in to the feasibility of privatising the Tote.
§ Mr. Peter LloydNo. The advice in the report by Lloyds merchant bank on the feasibility of privatising the Tote will not be made public because it was given in confidence to my right hon. and learned Friend, and contains commercially and managerially sensitive information.
§ Mr. MealeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will make a statement on the independent inquiry into the feasibility of privatising the Tote.
§ Mr. Peter LloydThe advice from Lloyds merchant bank on the feasibility of privatising the Tote is at present still under consideration, and the Government's conclusions will be made known in due course.
§ Mr. MealeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement about the initiation of an inquiry into the financing of horse and greyhound racing.
§ Mr. Peter LloydMy right hon. and learned Friend is considering whether or not to establish such an inquiry.
§ Mr. MealeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make a statement on the Monopolies and Mergers Commission report on the258W Grand Metropolitan/William Hill merger, published by it on 23 August; and whether the Director of Fair Trading is continuing to keep concerns mentioned in the report under review;
(2) what steps he has taken in relation to the explicit concerns highlighted within the Monopolies and Mergers Commission report of 23 August into the merger of the Grand Metropolitan and William Hill organisations; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ForthI have been asked to reply.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 23 August that he had accepted the recommendations of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission's report on the acquistion by Grand Metropolitan plc of William Hill. Action is being taken to implement those recommendations, including action by the Director General of Fair Trading. The Director General will also continue to monitor developments in the betting industry under those parts of the competition legislation for which he is responsible.
§ Mr. MealeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on(a) the current position of Satellite Information Service and (b) the future powers of horse and dog racecourses and stadia to enter into commercial deals.
§ Mr. ForthI have been asked to reply.
I understand that the Director General of Fair Trading is continuing to monitor developments in the betting and racing industries in accordance with the provisions of United Kingdom competition legislation. In general we take the view that commercial deals are matters for the parties concerned, subject to the provisions of the competition legislation (the Fair Trading Act 1973, the Restrictive Trade Practices Act 1976, and the Competition Act 1980).