§ Mr. Masonasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the takeovers that have taken place within the brewing industry since the Monopolies Commission reported on beer supply and the tied house system.
§ 1972 Sir G. HoweSince the Monopolies Commission reported on the supply of beer in April 1969 there have been the following brewery mergers falling within the scope of the Monopolies and Mergers Act 1965:
Courage Barclay and Simonds Ltd./John Smith's Tadcaster Brewery Co. Ltd.
Courage Barclay and Simonds Ltd./Plymouth Breweries Ltd.Whitbread and Co. Ltd./Brickwoods Ltd.Grand Metropolitan Hotels Ltd./Truman Hanbury Buxton & Co. Ltd.
Watney Mann Ltd./International Distillers & Vintners Ltd.Watney Mann Ltd./Samuel Webster & Sons Ltd.Grand Metropolitan Hotels Ltd./Watney Mann Ltd.Imperial Tobacco Group Ltd./Courage Ltd.
§ Mr. Masonasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will submit the Monopolies Commission Report on beer supply and tied houses 10W to the European Court of the EEC to determine a ruling on whether this system of sales contravenes the EEC treaty; and if he will make a statement;
(2) if he will institute an inquiry into the sales contracts of the major brewery companies to ascertain to what extent their system of beer supply and tied houses contravenes the EEC treaty.
§ Sir G. HoweThe European Commission is responsible for administering the provisions of Article 85 of the Treaty of Rome and for investigating any alleged infringements. I understand that the Commission took account of the Monopolies Commission Report on the Supply of Beer in its inquiry into competition in the brewing industry.
§ Mr. Masonasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he is aware of the monopoly situation that has been created by the Imperial Tobacco Co. having taken over Courage's, John Smith's and Barnsley Breweries, and of its recent proposal to close Barnsley Brewery; and whether he will refer this monopoly to the Monopolies Commission before the Barnsley Brewery is closed.
§ Sir G. HoweCourage's, John Smith's and Barnsley Breweries do not appear to have a monopoly in the supply of beer, either in the United Kingdom or in a substantial part of it. The question of a monopoly reference to the commission does not therefore arise.
§ Mr. Masonasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what meetings have taken place between his Department and representatives of the brewery companies to discuss the findings of the Monopolies Commission on beer supply and the tied-house system; whether he is yet in a position to declare the Government's attitude on this matter; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir G. HoweSince the publication of the Monopolies Commission's report 11 meetings have been held with the Brewers' Society, in addition to meetings with representatives of a number of individual brewery companies. The commission's recommendation was that the licensing system should be substantially relaxed. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department is now assessing reactions to the report, published in December 11W 1972, of the Erroll Committee which was set up to review the licensing laws.