§ Mr. Bishopasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether, in view of the concern that the proposed Watney Mann take-over bid will further extend the monopoly situation in the brewery industry, he will refer the industry to the Monopolies Commission.
§ Mr. RidleyI am considering whether or not one or both of the current proposals to acquire Truman Hanbury Buxton & Co. Ltd. should be referred to the Monopolies Commission, under the usual arrangements for examination of mergers coming within the scope of the Monopolies and Mergers Act, 1965. The brewing industry as a whole was the subject of a report by the Commission in 1969.