Written question asked by Baroness Hoey (Labour) on Thursday, 11 December 1997, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 13 January 1998. It was answered by Nigel Griffiths (Labour) on Tuesday, 13 January 1998 on behalf of the Department of Trade and Industry.

Dept of Trade and Industry

Question: To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what factors underlay her decision not to seek amendment to the decision by the Office of Fair Trading to release Inntrepreneur from its undertakings given on the recommendation of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.

Answer: Kate Hoey: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what factors underlay her decision not to seek amendment to the decision by the Office of Fair Trading to release Inntrepreneur from its undertakings given on the recommendation of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission. [21093] Mr. Nigel Griffiths: Ministers do not have the legal power to revoke the February 1997 decision of their predecessors to vary the Inntrepreneur (IPCL) undertakings. Under UK competition law, further undertakings based on the 1991 MMC report between Elders IXL Ltd. (which owned Courage Ltd.) and Grand Metropolitan could be sought from Inntrepreneur only on the basis of the adverse effects detailed in that report. The UK's competition authorities have not identified any such grounds for seeking further undertakings from IPCL.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 304 c195W;304 c191-2W; 21093
Session: 1997-98
Subjects: Office of Fair Trading Monopolies and Mergers Commission Inntrepreneur Estates