§ Mr. MandelsonTo ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he will ask the Director-General of Fair Trading to investigate evidence of anti-competitive activities by British Airways against Air Europe, and its parent company ILG, since 1987;
(2) what inquiries he has commissioned into the allegations of anti-competitive practices by British Airways against rival airlines; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mr. Neil HamiltonAllegations of anti-competitive practices in European air services fall to be considered by the EC Commission under articles 85 and 86 of the treaty of Rome. The Civil Aviation Authority has powers to investigate complaints of anti-competitive practices on specific routes to and from destinations outside the EC and to consider appropriate remedies.
Under paragraph 4(1) of the schedule to the Anti-competitive Practices (Exclusions) Order 1980 (SI 1980 No. 979), any course of conduct pursued by an air transport undertaking solely in respect of carriage by air, otherwise than on a charter flight, is excluded from investigation under the Competition Act.
§ Mr. MandelsonTo ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he was aware of the evidence of access by British Airways to computer information concerning rival airlines, when he gave his approval to British Airways' takeover of Dan Air in November 1992.
§ Mr. Neil HamiltonThe President of the Board of Trade's decisions in merger cases whether to refer proposed acquisitions to the MMC take account of comprehensive advice from the Director General of Fair Trading on the public interest issues raised by the merger concerned.