§ Ms Roseanna CunninghamTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the experience that the members of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission's committee investigating Scottish Residential Estate Agency Services have in respect of(a) Scots law and (b) the Scottish property market. [9953]
§ Mr. Nigel GriffithsThe role of the members of an inquiry group investigating a reference made to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission is to bring to that investigation a mixture of expertise in legal, economic, industrial, financial and other relevant disciplines. It has not been their function to have detailed expertise and knowledge of a particular market under investigation. In carrying out the investigation, the MMC obtains information from a wide range of experts in relevant fields as required and often retains consultants to provide expert advice.
The chairman of the MMC informs me that the MMC group investigating this case had access to expert advice on Scottish law and the Scottish property market.