§ Mr. FisherTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) when he expects the Office of Fair Trading to conclude its inquiry into media ownership;
(2) when he expects the Sadler inquiry to publish its findings.
(3) whether he will list the people appointed to assist Mr. Sadler on his inquiry into aspects of the media;
(4) whether the Sadler inquiry has commenced taking evidence; and if it will be taking evidence in public.
§ Mr. RedwoodI announced to the House on 14 December at column750 that Mr. John Sadler CBE was to undertake an inquiry into standards of cross-media promotion and that the Director General of Fair Trading, who was conducting an inquiry into the competition aspects of these issues, had decided not to pursue it.
Mr. Sadler's inquiry is expected to last about a year. He will be assisted by officials of my Department.
Mr. Sadler is writing to a number of organisations likely to have an interest in his inquiry. He expects to issue shortly a press notice inviting other interested parties to send him their views. He is asking for written evidence by mid-March and expects to take oral evidence later in the year. The inquiry will not be taking evidence in public.