§ Mr. Barnettasked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what were the total numbers of investigations completed by the Monopolies Commission in each of the last 10 years.
§ Mr. DellThe number of inquiries completed each year by the Monopolies Commission was as follows:
1960 0 1961 1 1962 0 1963 2 1964 0 1965 2 1966 10 1967 6 1968 6 1969 6
§ Mr. Barnettasked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will list the industries in which over half the market is controlled by one company or group; and how many of these have been investigated by the Monopolies Commission since 1965.
§ Mr. DellNo comprehensive list is available and in any case the length of 25W the list would depend on the definition of an industry adopted. But on the most recent information available to the Department, it is believed that at least half the market is in the hands of one company or group for the 156 commodities in the appended list. Since 1965 the Monopolies Commission has carried out 10 investigations in monopoly or merger cases where control of half the market by one company was or would be involved.
Following is the list:
- Bakers' yeast.
- Mustard.
- Cotton linters.
- Rayon staple fibre.
- Cellulose Acetate tow.
- Man-made fibres.
- Salt, industrial and rock.
- China clay.
- Bottled Gas.
- Phosphorus.
- Phosphoric acid.
- Soda ash.
- Calcium carbide.
- Hydrogen peroxide.
- Refined borax.
- Boric acid.
- Pyridine.
- Oxygen.
- Dissolved acetylene.
- Urea.
- Ammonium carbonate and bicarbonate.
- Lithopone.
- Nitrogenous fertilisers.
- Phosphates.
- Sporting cartridges.
- Nylon polymer.
- Polymethyl methacrylate.
- Polyethylene terepthalate.
- Polytetrofluoroethylene.
- Celluloid.
- Casein plastics.
- Rubber contraceptive goods.
- Wallpaper.
- Rayon yarn.
- Metallic yarn.
- Plate & Sheet Glass.
- Iron pressure pipes and fittings.
- Unwrought nickel.
- Unwrought zinc.
- Magnesium metal.
- Gas cylinders, seamless, high pressure.
- Gas cylinders, welded, low-pressure.
- Wood screws.
- Heavy safes and strongroom doors.
- Precision chain.
- Lawn mowers.
- Tufted carpet machinery.
- Hosiery and knitting machinery.
- Boot and shoe machinery.
- Motor scrapers.
- Weighing machinery.
- Non-electric carpet sweepers.
- Diaphragm valves.
- Ignition coils, magnetos, distributors, ignition suppressors, for motor vehicles.
- Dynamos, current-voltage control units, starter motors, for motor vehicles.
26 - Windscreen wiper motors.
- Lamps, horns, trafficators, relay units for motor vehicles.
- Automatic transmissions for motor vehicles.
- Universal joints for transmission systems.
- Shock absorbers.
- Fuel injection equipment for diesel engined vehicles.
- Door locks and fittings for motor vehicles.
- Bicycles.
- Speedometers.
- Heater devices for motor vehicles.
- Matches.
- Drop forged crankshafts.
- Tyre valves.
- Basic slag.
- Certain frozen foods.
- Soups.
- Cereal breakfast foods.
- Canned peas.
- Canned baked beans.
- Sugar.
- Margarine.
- Vinegar.
- Whisky.
- Gin.
- Cigarettes and tobacco.
- Refined Petroleum products.
- Caustic soda.
- Chlorine.
- Glycerine.
- Methanol.
- Polypropylene.
- Soap.
- Synthetic detergents.
- Potash.
- Gelatine and glue.
- Polyethylene.
- Cellulose film.
- Asbestos goods.
- Safety glass.
- Brass semis (extruded).
- Nickel alloy semis.
- Metal containers.
- Wire rope.
- Diamond dies.
- Oil well drilling bits.
- Crown corks.
- Needles.
- Pistons and piston rings.
- Brake linings and clutch facings.
- Plasterboard.
- Cylinder block castings.
- Stencil duplicators.
- Punched-card machinery.
- Cash registers.
- Steel Works plant.
- Bearings and bushes for motor vehicles.
- Sewing machines, domestic and industrial.
- Tanning and leather working machinery.
- Grain milling machinery.
- Excavators.
- Road Rollers.
- Towed scrapers.
- Dish washers.
- Packaging machinery.
- Tonnage oxygen plants.
- Rubber-working machinery.
- Tobacco machinery.
- Brushmaking machinery.
- Vacuum cleaners.
- Electricity house service meters.
- Gas welding equipment.
- Fire and burglar alarms.
27 - Dry (primary) batteries.
- Electrical instruments for motor vehicles.
- Sparking plugs, compression ignition heater plugs.
- Electronic valves.
- Cathode ray tubes.
- Semi-conductors.
- Carburettors for cars.
- Drum and Disc brakes.
- Overdrives, line drive shafts.
- Steering gears for vehicles.
- Steering wheels.
- Timing chains.
- Clutches.
- Petrol tanks and axle casings.
- Caravans.
- Rubber footwear.
- Cinematograph equipment.
- Parking meters.
- Photographic film.
- Electric clocks.
- Brass band instruments.
- Mechanical lighters.
- Fuel lift pumps for vehicles.
- Engine valves for vehicles.
- Oil seals for vehicles.
- Razors (Safety) and razor blades.
- Nylon yarn.
- Linoleum.
- Cement.
§ Mr. Barnettasked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what was the average time between the commencement of an investigation by the Monopolies Commission and the submission of its report, in the four years before the Monopolies and Mergers Act 1965, and the four years after it.
§ Mr. DellThe average time between the dates of the reference and the signing of all the Reports in the four years before 5th August, 1965, was four years four months and in the four years after 5th August, 1965, was one year three months.