§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement concerning any communication he has received from the Director General of Fair Trading concerning the future ownership or control of the British Sugar Corporation.
§ Mr. Howard[pursuant to his reply, 15 May 1986, c. 501]: I am now able to make a statement.
It was announced on 20 May that my right hon. Friend had decided, in accordance with the recommendation of the Director General of Fair Trading, to refer the proposed acquisitions of S and W Berisford plc by Hillsdown Holdings plc and Tate and Lyle plc to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission for investigation.
My right hon. Friend considered that the proposed acquisition by Tate and Lyle raised issues of competition in the sugar market, and that both proposed acquisitions raised wider issues of public interest arising from a change of ownership of British Sugar, given the special nature of the sugar market, and British Sugar's place in it.