§ Mr. WareingTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what information he has received on future developments or changes in arrangements between Courage and Grand Metropolitan in respect of Inntrepreneur Estates Ltd.; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Neil HamiltonNeither I nor my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade, have received any information about such matters. However, under section 88 of the Fair Trading Act, the Director General of Fair Trading—DGFT—has a duty to keep under review undertakings given to the Secretary of State under that section. From time to time, this may require the DGFT or his officials to meet with the parties to such undertakings. This would include Courage and Grand Metropolitan, two of the firms that gave undertakings following the Monopolies and Mergers Commission report on the Elders IXL Ltd./Grand Metropolitan plc merger. The matters discussed at any such meetings are confidential to the parties.