§ Mr. Andrew Bowdenasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many complaints have been received by the Director of Fair Trading in relation to newspaper takeovers and mergers in each of the years 1980 to 1986;
(2) how many complaints have been received by his Department in each of the years 1980 to 1986 in relation to undertakings given to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission regarding newspaper takeovers and mergers.
§ Mr. PattieThe Director General of Fair Trading has no statutory functions in relation to newspaper takeovers and mergers. Any assurances which may be given to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission regarding newspaper takeovers and mergers have no statutory underpinning. It is, however, open to the Commission to reccomend that conditions should be attached to the Secretary of State's consent to a newspaper transfer; and it is in turn open to the Secretary of State to attach to his consent such conditions as he sees fit.
My Department does not keep records of the number of complaints which are received concerning undertakings to the Commission or the observance of conditions attached to the Secretary of State's consent. But recently my Department has received one complaint concerning an undertaking to the Commission which was reflected neither in a condition recommended by the Commission nor in a condition attached to the Secretary of State's consent and since 1985 six complaints related to conditions attached to a consent given by the Secretary of State.