HC Deb 08 December 1994 vol 251 cc294-5W
Mr. Nigel Griffiths

To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what has been the total cost to date to public funds of the Office of Fair Trading's inquiry into the complaint made against the Edinburgh solicitors' property centre;

(2) who advises the Director General of Fair Trading in relation to Scottish law;

(3) from how many Edinburgh solicitors the Office, of Fair Trading sought views on the complaint brought against the Edinburgh solicitors' property centre;

(4) on how many occasions officials from the Office of Fair Trading have visited Scotland in the course of their inquiry into the complaint made against the Edinburgh solicitors' property centre;

(5) on whose authority a press release was issued by the Office of Fair Trading on 22 November regarding the referral of the Edinburgh solicitors' property centre to the restrictive practices court, Scotland; and what is the usual practice of putting such information into the public domain before the subject of the press release has been informed of the action being taken;

(6) what representations have been received by the Director General of Fair Trading concerning the Edinburgh solicitors' property centre; and how many were from members of the public;

(7) when the Solicitor's Office informed the Office of Fair Trading that it would be issuing a notice of referral to the restrictive practices court (Scotland) to the Edinburgh solicitors' property centre; when this referral was issued; and whether the issue preceded or succeeded the publication of a press release by the Office of Fair Trading referring to the office's action in this matter.

Mr. Jonathan Evans

The Director General of Fair Trading, Sir Bryan Carsberg, is responsible for administering the Restrictive Trade Practices Act 1976. I have today asked Sir Bryan to consider the questions that the hon. Member has put about the Edinburgh solicitors' property centre and he will write to him in due course.

Mr. Nigel Griffiths

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many officials and at what grades in(a) his Department and (b) the Office of Fair Trading have been involved in investigating a complaint against the Edinburgh solicitors' property centre.

Mr. Jonathan Evans

Department of Trade and Industry officials have not been involved. I am asking Sir Bryan Carsberg to write to the hon. Member about the involvement of his officials.