§ Mr. MaddenTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to announce whether he intends to refer the takeover bid by Kingfisher of Dixons plc to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RedwoodOn 16 January my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced that he had decided, in accordance with the recommendation of the Director General of Fair Trading, to refer the proposed acquisition by Kingfisher plc of Dixons Group plc to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.
431WIt would not be appropriate to comment in detail on the proposed acquisition in advance of the commission's report. The commission has been asked to submit its report to the Secretary of State by 27 April 1990.