§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he will review the terms of reference and the guidelines within which the Monopolies and Mergers Commission are required to operate and their operation following in the case of their recent decision on distribution arrangements for perfumes; and if he will make a statement;
(2) if he will institute an investigation into the workings of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission in order to ensure that mechanisms exist to ensure that no sectional commercial interest is allowed to overrule consumers' interests.
§ Mr. Neil HamiltonIn reaching conclusions as to the public interest, the Monoplies and Mergers Commission are required by schedule 84 of the Fair Trading Act 1973 to take into account all matters which appear to them in the particular circumstances to be relevant. These matters include the desirability of maintaining and promoting effective competition in the United Kingdom and promoting the interests of consumers. My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade has no plans to review these provisions in the Act.
§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of whether protectionist trade practices approved by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission fall within the regulations of the competitions policy of the European Union; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Neil HamiltonIn conducting its inquiries, the Monopolies and Mergers Commission takes account of the possible application of European competition law and discuss this with the EC Commission in specific cases where this seems appropriate. Enforcement of European competition law is a matter for the EC Commission or national courts.