§ Lord Williams of Elveasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the Director General of Fair Trading, in considering the proposal of the Cannon Group to sell the film library formerly belonging to Thorn-EMI, will include goodwill as an asset for the purposes of determining whether or not the proposal constitutes a qualifying merger under the provisions of the Fair Trading Act 1973.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Lucas of Chilworth)The calculation of asset values for the purposes of Section 64(1)(b) of the Fair Trading Act 1973 is a matter for the Director General of Fair Trading. The Director General will advise my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in due course whether the acquisition is a qualifying merger and, if so, whether it should be referred to the Monopolies and, Mergers Commission. I have drawn the noble Lord's Question to the attention of the Director General.