§ Miss McIntoshTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether the racing industry will be given additional time to respond to changes proposed by the Office of Fair Trading. [69367]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonI have been asked to reply.
A number of agreements have been notified to OFT by the British Horseracing Board and the Jockey Club, including the Orders and Rules of Racing. The Office is currently investigating these agreements. The Competition Act 1998 provides time for parties to consider and respond to any findings made by the Director General. If the Director General proposes to grant an individual exemption to a notified agreement, he must first consult the public.