My Lords, this group contains a range of amendments on competition reforms. They are fairly wide-ranging and I will leave it to the proposers of the other amendments to summarise them.

Amendment 73A, in my name and the names of the noble Lord, Lord Clement-Jones, and the noble Baroness, Lady Kidron,...

My Lords, this group contains a range of amendments on competition reforms. They are fairly wide-ranging and I will leave it to the proposers of the other amendments to summarise them.

Amendment 73A, in my name and the names of the noble Lord, Lord Clement-Jones, and the noble Baroness, Lady Kidron,...

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the statement of objections published by the Competition and Markets Authority on 13 December which provisionally found that Stanton Bonna Concrete Ltd and CPM Group Ltd operated an illegal cartel from 2006 for seven years.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the statement of objections published by the Competition and Markets Authority on 13 December which provisionally found that Stanton Bonna Concrete Ltd and CPM Group Ltd operated an illegal cartel from 2006 for seven years.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the investigation by the German anti-trust authorities into German car manufacturers that are alleged to have operated a cartel and colluded to misrepresent diesel emissions; whether they intend to report those companies to the National Crime Agency to investigate...

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the investigation by the German anti-trust authorities into German car manufacturers that are alleged to have operated a cartel and colluded to misrepresent diesel emissions; whether they intend to report those companies to the National Crime Agency to investigate...

Lords motion to approve. Motion to regret debated and withdrawn. Original motion agreed to on question.

Lords motion to approve. Motion to regret debated and withdrawn. Original motion agreed to on question.

My Lords, these regulations implement key aspects of the EU damages directive. The damages directive aims to make it easier for consumers and businesses to bring private action claims for damages. It applies only where there has been a breach of European competition law, which may or may not be...

My Lords, these regulations implement key aspects of the EU damages directive. The damages directive aims to make it easier for consumers and businesses to bring private action claims for damages. It applies only where there has been a breach of European competition law, which may or may not be...

Moved by

Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts

Moved by

Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts

My Lords, I thank my noble friend for his explanation of this legislation. I know that he has been landed with it at the last minute and he has taken on this pretty technical

subject with his usual verve and aplomb. Despite being technical, the subject is nevertheless important in...

My Lords, I thank my noble friend for his explanation of this legislation. I know that he has been landed with it at the last minute and he has taken on this pretty technical

subject with his usual verve and aplomb. Despite being technical, the subject is nevertheless important in...

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Earl for outlining the regulations and to my noble friend Lord Hodgson for his contribution to the debate and for drawing my attention to this opportunity to alert Her Majesty’s Government to what I believe is a highly significant development in the...

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Earl for outlining the regulations and to my noble friend Lord Hodgson for his contribution to the debate and for drawing my attention to this opportunity to alert Her Majesty’s Government to what I believe is a highly significant development in the...

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Earl for introducing the substantive subject of our discussion—the regulations before us—but we have also been treated to a masterclass in other areas. The combined effect of the speeches from the noble Lords, Lord Hodgson and Lord Faulks, has been to raise...

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Earl for introducing the substantive subject of our discussion—the regulations before us—but we have also been treated to a masterclass in other areas. The combined effect of the speeches from the noble Lords, Lord Hodgson and Lord Faulks, has been to raise...

My Lords, I thank all noble Lords who have taken part in the debate: my noble friends, Lord Faulks and Lord Hodgson, and the noble Lord, Lord Stevenson. I will deal with the points he raised first, in particular, the procedural issue. I will write to him on that; likewise...

My Lords, I thank all noble Lords who have taken part in the debate: my noble friends, Lord Faulks and Lord Hodgson, and the noble Lord, Lord Stevenson. I will deal with the points he raised first, in particular, the procedural issue. I will write to him on that; likewise...

My Lords, I thank my noble friend Lord Faulks for his expert legal advice and insights into this problem, which align with my experience, and the noble Lord, Lord Stevenson, for his general support regarding the dangers we face. I also thank my noble friend for replying. It is good...

My Lords, I thank my noble friend Lord Faulks for his expert legal advice and insights into this problem, which align with my experience, and the noble Lord, Lord Stevenson, for his general support regarding the dangers we face. I also thank my noble friend for replying. It is good...

Motion to consider. Agreed to on question.

Motion to consider. Agreed to on question.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether the Competition and Markets Authority is conducting an investigation into allegations of cartel behaviour by banks in (a) foreign exchange markets and (b) other capital markets.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether the Competition and Markets Authority is conducting an investigation into allegations of cartel behaviour by banks in (a) foreign exchange markets and (b) other capital markets.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what requirements regulators must meet to call for evidence of cartel behaviour in a particular market; and when a regulator should be expected to undertake its own proactive investigations.[HL341]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what requirements regulators must meet to call for evidence of cartel behaviour in a particular market; and when a regulator should be expected to undertake its own proactive investigations.[HL341]

My Lords, I shall speak also to the other amendments in the group, all of which deal with broadly the same issue: the regime on cartels.

In Clause 41 the Government have made a bold and necessary step, despite criticism from significant sections of business, to make the cartel criteria work....

My Lords, I shall speak also to the other amendments in the group, all of which deal with broadly the same issue: the regime on cartels.

In Clause 41 the Government have made a bold and necessary step, despite criticism from significant sections of business, to make the cartel criteria work....

My Lords, Clause 41 makes some very significant changes to the law on cartels. At present, the competition authorities have to establish dishonesty by finding the directors or senior management of a company or their agents engaging in, say, market carve-ups, bid-rigging or price-fixing. “Dishonesty” takes us into the criminal...

My Lords, Clause 41 makes some very significant changes to the law on cartels. At present, the competition authorities have to establish dishonesty by finding the directors or senior management of a company or their agents engaging in, say, market carve-ups, bid-rigging or price-fixing. “Dishonesty” takes us into the criminal...