§ Mr. John Fraserasked the Minister for Trade on how many occasions since the passage of the Fair Trading Act 1976 the Secretary of State has made a reference to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission of a merger contrary to the advice of the Director General of Fair Trading; and on how many occasions that difference of opinion has been made public.
§ Dr. VaughanI cannot answer for previous Governments. During this Administration one merger has been referred to the commission contrary to the advice of the director general; the difference of opinion was made public. There have also been three occasions on which the Secretary of State decided, contrary to the director
Programme/Body Grants 1981–82 Provision 1982–83 Powers under which grants made £ £ Export Promotion Simplification of International Trade Procedures Board 536,000 605,000 Appropriation Act Sino British Trade Council 118,000 125,000 Appropriation Act East European Trade Council 75,000 90,000 Appropriation Act Committee for Middle East Trade 71,000 81,000 Appropriation Act British Overseas Trade Group for Israel 43,000 46,000 Appropriation Act Latin American Trade Advisory Group 26,000 53,000 Appropriation Act Assistance to other non-official trade organizations 355,000 465,000 Appropriation Act Regulation of Trading Practices and Consumer Protection National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux 4,913,000 5,757,000 Competition Act 1980 National Consumer Council 1,086,000 1,261,000 Competition Act 1980 National Federation of Consumer Groups 11,000 10,000 Competition Act 1980 Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents 52,000 67,000 Competition Act 1980 Standards British Standards Institute 2,820,000 3,300,000 Competition Act 1980 The following statutory bodies for which my Department is responsible make grants to various organisations within their areas of responsibility. A detailed list of the individual grants could not be compiled without disproportionate cost.
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Programme/Body Powers under which grants made Promotion of Tourism English Tourist Board Development of Tourism Act 1969 Regulation of Trade Practices Consumer Protection Nationalised Industry Consumer Councils: Domestic Coal Consumer Council Coal Industry Nationalisation Act 1946 Electricity Consultative Council Electricity Act 1947 as amended Gas Consumers' Council Gas Act 1972 as amended general's advice, not to refer a merger to the commission. Again, the difference of opinion was made public in each case.