§ Mr. SwayneTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer of 28 April 1999,Official Report, column 203, if he will indicate the 409W timetable for addressing each consideration delaying the publication of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission report on Milk Marque. [83038]
§ Dr. Howells[holding answer 4 May 1999]Publication of the report is not delayed. The guidance referred to in my previous answer explains that there is no statutory deadline for publication of MMC monopoly reports, and sets out the factors which may affect timing.
It is the Department's view that quoting expected publication dates may provoke unwarranted speculation. The content of reports is invariably commercially sensitive and we do not wish to damage companies by encouraging speculation.
§ Mr. LuffTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer of 13 April 1999,Official Report, column 95, on the milk market investigation, what practical obstacles are preventing the publication of the MMC report on the supply of milk.[82858]
§ Dr. Howells[holding answer 30 April 1999]The Department of Trade and Industry has provided information about the publication arrangements for monopoly reports at paragraphs 08.1–8.3 of its publication "Guidance on DTI procedures for handling Monopoly references and reports", a copy of which is in the Library of the House.