House of Commons Amendments

Session 2012 - 13
Internet Publications
Other Bills before Parliament

9

House of Commons

Notices of Amendments

given on

Thursday 6 December 2012

For other Amendment(s) see the following page(s):

Groceries Code Adjudicator Committee 1, 3-4 and 5-7

Public Bill Committee

Groceries Code Adjudicator Bill [Lords]

Ian Murray

Huw Irranca-Davies

22

Clause  2,  page  1,  line  11,  at end add—

‘(3)
Where the adjudicator is appointing an arbitrator the following must be taken into

account—

(a)
the location of the arbitration considering the convenience of the

supplier;

(b)
the qualifications of the arbitrator;

(c)
the experience of the arbitrator; and

(d)
the awareness which the arbitrator has of

(i)
the laws applying in—

(a)
England and Wales;

(b)
Scotland; and

(c)
Northern Ireland; and

(ii)
the market and economic conditions applying in—

(a)
England and Wales;

(b)
Scotland; and

(c)
Northern Ireland.’.

Ian Murray

Huw Irranca-Davies

23

Clause  11,  page  4,  line  14,  after ‘to’, insert ‘the public,’.

Notices of Amendments: 6 December 2012
10

Groceries Code Adjudicator Bill-[Lords], continued

Ian Murray

Huw Irranca-Davies

24

Clause  15,  page  5,  line  27,  after ‘must’, insert ‘appoint an independent Review

Panel to’.

Ian Murray

Huw Irranca-Davies

25

Clause  15,  page  5,  line  28,  at end add—

‘( )
The Independent Review Panel shall be chaired by a judge of the High Court or

the Court of Session and comprise—

(a)
a representative of the retail sector;

(b)
a representative of the supply sector; and

(c)
a consumer representative.’.

Ian Murray

Huw Irranca-Davies

26

Clause  18,  page  7,  line  30,  after ‘Adjudicator’, insert ‘or the Deputy Adjudicator or

any person acting on the Adjudicator’s behalf’.

Ian Murray

Huw Irranca-Davies

27

Clause  18,  page  7,  line  30,  leave out ‘may’ and insert ‘must’.

Ian Murray

Huw Irranca-Davies

28

Clause  18,  page  7,  line  36,  after ‘Adjudicator’, insert ‘or the Deputy Adjudicator or

any person acting on the Adjudicator’s behalf’.

Ian Murray

Huw Irranca-Davies

29

Clause  18,  page  7,  line  36,  leave out ‘may’ and insert ‘must’.

Ian Murray

Huw Irranca-Davies

30

Clause  18,  page  7,  line  42,  after ‘Adjudicator’, insert ‘or the Deputy Adjudicator or

any person acting on the Adjudicator’s behalf’.

Ian Murray

Huw Irranca-Davies

31

Clause  18,  page  8,  line  9,  at end add—

‘( )
Any person who, in contravention of this section knowingly discloses any

information obtained when employed by, or acting on behalf of, the Adjudicator

is guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine.’.

Notices of Amendments: 6 December 2012
11

Groceries Code Adjudicator Bill-[Lords], continued

Ian Murray

Huw Irranca-Davies

32

Schedule  1,  page  13,  line  1,  leave out from ‘with’ to end of line 2 and insert ‘for the

appointment of staff’.

Ian Murray

Huw Irranca-Davies

33

Schedule  1,  page  13,  line  16,  leave out ‘Secretary of State’ and insert

‘Adjudicator’.

Ian Murray

Huw Irranca-Davies

34

Schedule  1,  page  13,  line  17,  leave out ‘if asked to do so by the Adjudicator’.

Andrew George

35

Clause  7,  page  2,  line  36,  at end insert—

‘(2A)
If the Adjudicator determines that a recommendation has not been, or is not being,

followed, the Adjudicator may issue a requirement notice to the large retailer in

which the Adjudicator may set out one or more recommendations with which the

large retailer must comply. Such requirement notice may in the Adjudicator’s

discretion contain a time period for compliance and an indication of which other

form of enforcement the Adjudicator envisages might be imposed in the event of

continued non-compliance.’.

Victimisation

Andrew George

NC1

To move the following Clause:—

‘(1)
A large retailer (A) which is alleged to have broken the Groceries Code victimises

another person (B) if A subjects B to a detriment because:

(a)
B does a protected act; or

(b)
A believes that B has done, may have done, or may do, a protected act.

(2)
Each of the following is a protected act:

(a)
giving evidence of information in connection with proceedings under this

Act;

(b)
doing any other thing for the purposes of or in connection with this Act;

(c)
making an allegation (whether or not express) that A or another person

has broken the Groceries Code or contravened this Act.

(3)
Giving false evidence or information, or making a false allegation, is not a

protected act if the evidence or information is given, or the allegation is made, in

bad faith.

(4)
This section applies regardless of whether the person subjected to a detriment is

an individual or a company.

(5)
A county court or, in Scotland, the sheriff, has jurisdiction to determine a claim

relating to an alleged claim of victimisation as defined in this section.

(6)
Civil proceedings on a claim alleging victimisation may not be brought after the

end of:

Notices of Amendments: 6 December 2012
12

Groceries Code Adjudicator Bill-[Lords], continued

(a)
six months starting with the date of the act to which the claim relates; or

(b)
such other period as the county court or sheriff thinks just and equitable.

(7)
On proceedings under this section the county court and the sheriff have power to

grant any remedy which could be granted by the High Court:

(a)
in proceedings in tort;

(b)
on a claim for judicial review.

(8)
An award of damages under this section may include compensation for injured

feelings (whether or not it includes compensation on any other basis) and for loss

of revenue.

(9)
Victimisation under this section shall also be a criminal offence.

(10)
A person guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable on conviction to a

fine not exceeding £1,000,000 or such other amount as the Secretary of State shall

determine by order in statutory instrument of which a draft shall be laid before

and approved by resolution of both Houses of Parliament.’.

Andrew George

Huw Irranca-Davies

Ian Murray

36

Title,  line  2,  after ‘Code’, insert ‘monitoring it’.

Andrew George

37

Clause  4,  page  2,  line  7,  after ‘Code’, insert ‘since the Code since came into force.’.

Andrew George

38

Clause  7,  page  2,  line  36,  at end add—

‘(3)
If the Adjudicator determines that a recommendation has not been, or is not being,

followed, the Adjudicator may issue a requirement notice to the large retailer in

which the Adjudicator may set out one or more recommendations with which the

large retailer must comply. Such requirement notice may in the the Adjudicator’s

discretion contain a time period for compliance and an indication of which other

form of enforcement the Adjudicator envisages be imposed in the event of

continued non-compliance.’.

Jo Swinson

6

Clause  9,  page  3,  line  34 ,  at end insert—

‘(7)
The Secretary of State must make an order—

(a)
specifying the amount of the permitted maximum, or

(b)
specifying how that amount is to be determined.

(8)
The Adjudicator must, within 6 months beginning with the day on which
5
section 1 comes into force, make a recommendation as to the amount that should

be specified in the first order under subsection (7) or the method for determining

the amount.

(9)
Before making a recommendation the Adjudicator must consult any person he or

she thinks appropriate.
10
(10)
The Secretary of State—

(a)
must have regard to the Adjudicator’s recommendation when making the

first order under subsection (7);

Notices of Amendments: 6 December 2012
13

Groceries Code Adjudicator Bill-[Lords], continued

(b)
may amend or replace an order under subsection (7) only if the Secretary

of State has considered whether to do so as part of a review under
15
section 15.

(11)
The Adjudicator may not impose a financial penalty in respect of a breach of the

Groceries Code that occurs before the first order under subsection (7) comes into

force.’.

As Amendments to Jo Swinson’s proposed Amendment (No. 6):—

Andrew George

(b)

Line  7,  leave out ‘or’ and insert ‘and’.

Andrew George

(c)

Line  9,  leave out ‘must and insert ‘may’.

Andrew George

(d)

Line  19,  at end add ‘unless the breach started before, and continues after, that

date.’.

Andrew George

Huw Irranca-Davies

Ian Murray

39

Clause  12,  page  4,  line  25,  at end insert ‘including monitoring compliance with the

Groceries Code.’.

Andrew George

40

Clause  13,  page  5,  line  3,  after ‘Code’, insert ‘or the Groceries Supply Order.’.

Andrew George

Huw Irranca-Davies

Ian Murray

41

Clause  14,  page  5,  line  12,  at end insert—

‘(a)
the Adjudicator’s assessment of large retailers’ compliance with the

Groceries Code.’.

Ian Murray

Huw Irranca-Davies

42

Clause  5,  page  2,  line  21,  at end insert—

‘(d)
any finding that an investigation should be referred to the Office of Fair

Trading on the basis that a large retailer is believed to have engaged in

anti-competitive practices.’.

Notices of Amendments: 6 December 2012
14

Groceries Code Adjudicator Bill-[Lords], continued

Ian Murray

Huw Irranca-Davies

43

Clause  8,  page  3,  line  9,  at end insert—

‘(d)
where it is to be published.’.

Ian Murray

Huw Irranca-Davies

44

Clause  9,  page  3,  line  17,  leave out from ‘penalties’ to end of subsection (1).

Ian Murray

Huw Irranca-Davies

45

Clause  9,  page  3,  line  26,  leave out from subsection (c) and insert—

‘(c)
that it shall be paid within 28 days.’.

Ian Murray

Huw Irranca-Davies

46

Clause  10,  page  4,  line  10,  at end insert—

‘(6)
Costs do not form part of financial penalties as described in section 9.’.

Ian Murray

Huw Irranca-Davies

47

Clause  12,  page  4,  line  2,  at end insert—

‘(d)
the criteria that the Adjudicator intends to adopt in deciding whether to

impose financial penalties under section 9 together with maximium

penalty that may be imposed and how the maximum penalty is to be

calculated.’.

Ian Murray

Huw Irranca-Davies

48

Clause  12,  page  4,  line  31,  leave out from beginning to ‘penalties’ in line 32.

Ian Murray

Huw Irranca-Davies

49

Clause  12,  page  4,  line  37,  at end insert ‘including appropriate Ministers from the

Devolved Administrations.’.

Ian Murray

Huw Irranca-Davies

50

Clause  12,  page  4,  line  39,  leave out ‘6’ and insert ‘3’.

Notices of Amendments: 6 December 2012
15

Groceries Code Adjudicator Bill-[Lords], continued

Extension of groceries code

Ian Murray

Huw Irranca-Davies

NC2

To move the following Clause:—

‘(1)
In advance of each annual report prepared under section 14, the Adjudicator shall

consider any information received in the preceding year concerning supply

relations between suppliers and third parties (intermediaries) who on onward

suppliers to large retailers;

(2)
If under subsection (1), the Adjudicator has information of incidents that, were

they to have occurred between a supplier and a large retailer, would have

constituted a breach of the Groceries Code, the Adjudicator shall consider and

make recommendations on whether the pattern of such incidents merits an

extension of the Groceries Code to such intermediaries and therefore a

redefinition of “direct supplier” in the Groceries Code;

(3)
In advance of every third annual report prepared under section 14, the

Adjudicator shall consider any information received in the preceding three-year

period concerning supply relations between suppliers and third party onward

suppliers not covered by subsection (2);

(4)
If under subsection (3) the Adjudicator has information of incidents that, were

they to have occurred between a supplier and a large retailer, would have

constituted a breach of the Groceries Code, the Adjudicator shall consider and

make recommendations on whether the pattern of such incidents merits an

extension of the Groceries Code to such intermediaries.’.

Ian Murray

Huw Irranca-Davies

51

Clause  13,  page  5,  line  3,  at end insert—

‘(2)
The Office of Fair Trading shall be required to respond to the Adjudicator and

Secretary of State on the recommendations as set out in subsection (1) explaining

whether they will be acted upon or not.’.

Ian Murray

Huw Irranca-Davies

52

Clause  14,  page  5,  line  12,  at end insert—

‘(d)
the resources available to the Adjudicator.

(e)
recommendations made to the Office of Fair Trading as set out in section

13.’.

Ian Murray

Huw Irranca-Davies

53

Clause  14,  page  5,  line  19,  at end insert—

‘(c)
the Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee;

(d)
the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee;

(e)
their respective successor committees from time to time; and

(f)
the Devolved Administrations’.



© Parliamentary copyright	Revised 7 December 2012