§ Mr. Leighasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make it his policy to seek to reduce the length of time taken by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission in considering mergers referred to it.
§ Mr. HowardThe six-month period specified in the legislation is described as a maximum, although it can be extended by one period of three months. Collecting and evaluating the evidence is a complex process and it is important that the commission has sufficient time to do justice to all the aspects of a case. But I am prepared to consider whether there are circumstances in which the commission might be asked to report in a shorter period.
§ Mr. John Fraserasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when evaluating the competitive position of proposed mergers, what criteria he uses to evaluate the international context and, in particular, the competitive position of United Kingdom companies in overseas markets; and if he will define the international context referred to in his answer of 3 March to the hon. Member for Northampton, South (Mr. Morris) Official Report, columns 40–41.
§ Mr. Iain Millsasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, further to the answer to the hon. Member for Northampton, South (Mr. Morris) on 3 March, Official Report, column 41, how he defines the international context in applying merger and competition policy criteria to the examination of take over bids involving companies whose markets are largely overseas.
§ Mr. HowardThe market share test in the merger control legislation is expressed in terms of the supply of goods or services within the United Kingdom. However, our mergers policy recognises that in some cases it is necessary to have regard to the international context. This can take a variety of forms, depending on the circumstances of particular cases. Imports may be a competitive factor within the United Kingdom market: or a reduction of competition in the United Kingdom market may have to be weighed against advantages in terms of a merged company's competitive position in international markets.