§ Mr. Peter BottomleyTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will refer the issues of pricing of loss-making newspapers and of ownership of national titles beyond 20 per cent. market share for review under fair trading and monopolies legislation.
§ Mr. Neil HamiltonNo. The Director General of Fair Trading, Sir Bryan Carsberg, announced on 14 October that, following preliminary investigations by his office into allegations that the reduction in the cover price ofThe Times was predatory pricing, he would not be initiating formal action under the competition legislation. The Director General is satisfied that on the basis of the information available the reduction in the cover price of The Times reflects a calculated commercial decision by News International which he would not be justified in treating as predatory.