There are protections in Part 30 of the Companies Act 2006 that allow a shareholder to apply to the court for a remedy if the company’s action (or inaction) is unfairly prejudicial to the interests of that member, or a larger set of shareholders that includes them. The Government is committed to implementing legislation over the course of this Parliament to improve how retail shareholders can exercise their rights through intermediaries, in line with the recommendations of the Dematerialisation Market Action Taskforce (DEMAT), chaired by Mark Austin CBE.

The Government recognises the importance of easyJet as a major UK airline, supporting connectivity, regional economies, employment and consumer choice.

As these are live commercial discussions between private parties, it would not be appropriate for Government to comment on the merits of the offer. The Civil Aviation Authority and my officials are in communication with both easyJet and its potential new owners, Apollo Global Management.

I can, however, confirm that any change of ownership would need to comply with the UK’s regulatory framework, including requirements on ownership, control, and financial fitness. The Civil Aviation Authority are responsible for assessing compliance with these requirements and may refer matters to the Secretary of State for Transport as necessary.

The Government keeps the operation of the UK's merger control, investment and aviation regulatory frameworks under review and will continue to monitor this situation and engage as appropriate within the existing regulatory framework.

The UK has a robust framework for scrutinising acquisitions where relevant public interest or national security concerns arise. Existing powers, including the National Security and Investment Act 2021, enable Government scrutiny and intervention where statutory tests are met.

In addition, any change of ownership involving a UK airline would need to satisfy the relevant aviation regulatory requirements and approvals. The Civil Aviation Authority are responsible for assessing compliance with those requirements and may refer matters to the Secretary of State.

The Government has no current plans to introduce additional public interest powers relating specifically to airline ownership.

The Takeover Code, which has a statutory basis under the Companies Act 2006, sets out a clear and orderly framework for takeovers, including measures to ensure fairness to all shareholders. The Code is issued and administered by the independent Panel on Takeovers and Mergers. The Panel has enforcement powers for breaches of the Code. Changes to the Code itself would be a matter for the Panel.

The Secretary of State has been in regular contact with Dave Ward, General Secretary of the Communication Workers Union (CWU), and Daniel Křetínský, the owner of EP Group, including chairing three trilateral meetings since December 2025 to encourage both sides to reach an agreement.

The Government is pleased to note that the CWU and Royal Mail have reached an agreement on the implementation of Universal Service Obligation reforms and on new entrant terms and conditions.

International deals have remained constant at around 60% of total merger and acquisition activity since 2021, with a greater concentration in innovation-driven fields.

Whilst this brings significant inward investment and unlocks funds to be reinvested back into our innovation ecosystem, Government is also taking steps to increase capital available from UK sources so that companies have the option to scale, grow and list in the UK. Measures taken to support this include increasing capitalisation of the British Business Bank and National Wealth Fund, launching a new Listings Taskforce, ongoing pensions reforms, and wider measures set out in the Entrepreneurship Prospectus.

The UK has a great history of successful UK AI startups. Faculty is an excellent example of a UK startup running with its vision and succeeding on a global scale.

We want to ensure that this ecosystem continues to thrive and recently announced a comprehensive package of support. This includes the Advance Market Commitments in which Government will act as a first customer for promising UK start-ups who are building high-quality AI hardware products. The commitment is backed by up to £100 million of government support to give British startups the opportunity for a competitive edge and to win customers in a multibillion-dollar global market.

Given the legal and commercial sensitivities involved, it would not be appropriate to comment on any potential or live media merger involving US media companies.

As set out in our Creative Industries Sector Plan, the Government is aware of the evolving nature of the TV and streaming landscape. Should any merger progress, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) would be responsible for examining implications for competition and consumers, provided that the relevant jurisdiction criteria are met. The Government has committed to asking the CMA, working with Ofcom, to set out how changes in the sector could be taken into account as part of any future assessment of the television and advertising markets.

Investigations by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) are independent of Government. The CMA reviews cases that meet certain jurisdictional tests and considers whether it believes a merger could result in a substantial lessening of competition.

Under competition law, responsibility for investigating the impact of mergers and acquisitions on competition falls to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), the UK’s independent competition authority. The Government has ensured that the CMA has significant powers and expertise to investigate the benefits and risks of mergers in relation to competition.

The Government is aware that Netflix has submitted a bid for Warner Bros. Discovery's studio and streaming assets as part of an ongoing acquisition process. Given the legal and commercial sensitivities involved, it would not be appropriate to comment on live discussions regarding this or any other potential merger with Warner Bros. Discovery.

As set out in our Creative Industries Sector Plan, the Government is aware of the evolving nature of the TV and streaming landscape. Should any merger progress, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) would be responsible for examining implications for competition and consumers, provided that the relevant jurisdiction criteria are met. The Government has committed to asking the CMA, working with Ofcom, to set out how changes in the sector could be taken into account as part of any future assessment of the television and advertising markets.

We recognise the importance of cinemas to our high streets and our communities, and we will remain in regular contact with stakeholders including the British Film Institute and the UK Cinema Association on how best to support the UK film and cinema sectors.

The Government is aware that Netflix has submitted a bid for Warner Bros. Discovery's studio and streaming assets as part of an ongoing acquisition process. Given the legal and commercial sensitivities involved, it would not be appropriate to comment on live discussions regarding this or any other potential merger with Warner Bros. Discovery.

As set out in our Creative Industries Sector Plan, the Government is aware of the evolving nature of the TV and streaming landscape. Should any merger progress, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) would be responsible for examining implications for competition and consumers, provided that the relevant jurisdiction criteria are met. The Government has committed to asking the CMA, working with Ofcom, to set out how changes in the sector could be taken into account as part of any future assessment of the television and advertising markets.

We recognise the importance of cinemas to our high streets and our communities, and we will remain in regular contact with stakeholders including the British Film Institute and the UK Cinema Association on how best to support the UK film and cinema sectors.

The Government is aware that Netflix has submitted a bid for Warner Bros. Discovery's studio and streaming assets as part of an ongoing acquisition process. As the bidding process is ongoing and no transaction has been finalised, it would not be appropriate to provide comment further on this individual case.

As set out in our Creative Industries Sector Plan, the Government recognises that convergence in the TV and streaming market is leading to greater consolidation as companies seek economies of scale. Should any proposed transaction progress, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) would be responsible for examining implications for competition and consumers. The Government has committed to asking the CMA, working with Ofcom, to set out how changes in the sector could be taken into account as part of any future assessment of the television and advertising markets.