§ Mrs. GilroyTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on recent developments concerning the UK/US Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty. [160610]
§ Dr. HowellsA side letter to the treaty formerly excluded competition cases from its provisions. As part of this Government's policy of improving international co-operation in the fight against international cartels, we have decided that this exclusion is no longer justified. We have therefore agreed with the US Administration that the side letter should be amended in order to bring such cases within the scope of the treaty; an exchange of Notes Verbals dated 30 April and 1 May brings this amendment into effect. The text of this exchange has been laid in the Library of the House.
This action underlines the Government's commitment to improving co-operation in the competition area. In addition, any disclosure of competition-related information to the US will now be subject to the same safeguards as apply in other cases.