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Mr. MacGregor : Sir Richard Southwood's working party, in a second interim report, has made two recommendations on which I have decided to act straightaway. First, the report has indicated that it is not at present possible to be wholly sure that rendering as currently practised would eliminate the bovine spongiform encephalopathy agent. I therefore propose to extend by one year, that is until 31 December 1989, the current prohibition on the use of certain animal protein in feed for ruminants. I would like to make it clear that the prohibition would have to continue there after unless processing methods which are sufficient to destroy the casual agent have been identified and are widely available.
Second, the working party has also advised that although in its view the transmission of bovine spongiform encephalopathy via milk is very unlikely, it would be prudent to ensure that milk from animals suspected of having bovine spongiform encephalopathy is destroyed. In fact, little or no milk is produced from such animals. As a precautionary measure, however, I shall be making an order prohibiting the sale or use of such milk for human or animal consumption except for the feeding of the cow's own calf.
WALES
Planning Law
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to change the law which allows a developer to dig a short trench which by doing so satisfies
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the definition of a specified activity and thereby enables that developer artificially to preserve a planning consent without undertaking any real development on the site.Council Housing (Rents)
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the average rent of a three-bedroomed council house within each Welsh housing authority in each year since 1979-80.
Mr. Grist : The information requested on the average rent of a three -bedroomed council house is not collected centrally. Such information is published by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy in "Housing Rent Statistics".
Emission Controls (Crown Immunity)
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will be seeking Crown immunity from prosecution for the institutions which are the responsibility of his Department when the anticipated new controls on emissions come into operation.
Mr. Grist : I refer to my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's reply of Tuesday 29 November at column 178. The Department has no plans to seek removal of Crown Immunity in relation to the proposed air pollution regulations.
Midwives
Sir Raymond Gower : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many nursing and midwifery staff from each of the old grades have been assimilated to each of the new grades in the clinical grading structure.
Mr. Peter Walker : The information requested is given in the following table :
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The new clinical grading structure for nursing, midwifery and health visitor staff-movement from old grades to new grades
November 1988-Wales
Movement to New Grades
Title |Old Pay Code |WTE Staff in post at 31|A |B |C |D |E |F |G |H |I
|Nov. 88
|Per cent. |Per cent. |Per cent. |Per cent. |Per cent. |Per cent. |Per cent. |Per cent. |Per cent.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nursing Auxiliary |NB01/11 |6,888.70 |86.7 |13.2 |0.10
Hospital Staff (NNEB) |NB21 |133.92 |0.4 |82.0 |17.00
Enrolled Nurse<1> |NB31 |5064.16 |30.13 |58.1 |11.6 |0.08 |0.04
Enrolled Dist. Train.<1> |NB31 |264.20 |81.5 |18.5
Senior Enrolled<1> |NB61 |252.92 |0.20 |16.3 |83.1 |0.40
Staff Nurse<1> |NB41/51/61 |5,088.29 |17.9 |71.7 |10.10 |0.20 |0.1
Staff Midwife<1> |NB61 |515.75 |10.3 |39.0 |49.70 |1.00
Deputy Sister<1> |NB71 |148.90 |5.5 |93.80 |0.70
Sister II<1> |NB81/91 |2,762.52 |0.1 |34.40 |62.90 |2.5 |0.1
Sister II Midwife<1> |NB91 |699.04 |8.40 |86.70 |4.9
District Nurse Sister II<1> |NB91 |722.66 |1.00 |95.60 |3.4
Sister I |NC01 |82.93 |7.20 |36.10 |44.6 |12.1
Sister I Midwife |NC01 |3.00 |66.70 |33.3
Health Visitor |NX01 |602.01 |95.50 |4.5
Senior Nurse 8 |NI01 |236.24 |13.60 |43.0 |43.4
Senior Nurse 6 Midwife |NI01 |37.00 |56.8 |43.2
Senior Nurse 7 |NI06 |274.48 |12.8 |87.2
Senior Nurse 7 Midwife |NI06 |26.50 |15.1 |84.9
Clinical Teacher |NW01 |55.00 |82.7 |17.3
Fieldwork Teacher |NW01 |72.00 |1.40 |97.2 |1.4
Practical Work Teacher |NB91 |89.00 |100.0
Tutor |NW11 |192.72 |2.10 |2.6 |95.3
Tutor Midwife |NW11 |26.93 |3.70 |29.0 |67.3
Post basic students Enrolled |NB31 |106.80 |83.30 |14.8 |1.9
Post basic students Staff Nurse |NB61 |286.51 |2.10 |75.5 |18.6 |3.80
Post basic students Dep. Sister |NB71 |-
Post basic students Sister II |NB91 |16.00 |62.50 |31.30 |6.2
Others |NO00 |137.71 |7.0 |3.2 |10.10 |22.0 |18.5 |13.30 |12.80 |7.3 |5.8
|------- |---- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |---
|Totals |24,787.00 |24.0 |4.0 |7.00 |18.0 |19.0 |8.00 |15.00 |2.0 |3.0
<1> Exclude Post Basic Students.
HOME DEPARTMENT
British Dependencies
115. Mr. Bernie Grant : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what diferences there are in the regulations relating to admission to the United Kingdom for health treatment from the British dependencies in (a) the Caribbean and (b) Gibraltar and the Falklands ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Renton : British citizens resident in any of the dependent territories are not subject to immigration control, whatever the purpose for which they wish to come to the United Kingdom. The admission of passengers requiring leave to enter is governed by the immigration rules, which provide for the admission of passengers from any country who wish to receive private medical treatment at their own expense. Separate arrangements also exist by which the medical authorities of a number of countries, including Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands, may refer patients for free treatment in the United Kingdom under the National Health Service.
Fines (Non-payment)
Mr. Grocott : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average amount owing by people imprisoned for non-payment of fines, in the latest year for which figures are available.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The information requested is not available centrally.
Cell Toilets
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the policy of his Department on the installation of cell toilets in prison wings when wings are being rebuilt or redeveloped ; and if he will list the prisons in which this has been done.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : Prison department policy is to install in-cell sanitation when prison wings are being rebuilt or redeveloped. Major refurbishment schemes of this type have begun at Liverpool and Stafford prisons.
Women's Prisons
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the creche facilities at each of the women's prisons in England and Wales ; and if he will make a statement on his Department's policy on such facilities.
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Mr. Douglas Hogg : None of these prisons has creches. But they exist, staffed by volunteers, at a number of male establishments. The Department is encouraging governors of establishments without such facilities to set them up wherever possible.
Police (Leicestershire)
Mr. Janner : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now approve the request of the chief constable of Leicestershire for more police officers.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The police authority wrote on 8 September notifying us of a revised application for 89 police posts subject to the county council's decision on the availability of finance. This will be considered along with applications which have been received from other authorities for increases in 1989-90.
My right hon. Friend is able to approve 800 police posts for provincial forces in 1989-90. This is an increase on the 500 which were available for this financial year. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary will offer advice on how the available posts should be allocated. The aim is to announce decisions in December.
Fire Safety
Mr. Nicholas Baker : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to improve the standards of fire safety in newly-constructed private dwelling houses ; and if he has any plans to give the fire service authority to intervene in matters relating to newly- constructed private dwelling houses.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : All new buildings have to meet the requirements of part B of the Building Regulations 1984 relating to structural aspects of fire safety. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment is currently undertaking a review of all building regulation requirements and a consultation paper will be issued when the part of the review concerning fire is completed. I do not have plans to give the fire service authority in these matters, for which responsibility rests with building control authorities.
Immigration
Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the number of letters received but not opened at Lunar house on 21 November.
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Mr. Renton : On 21 November, the approximate total number of unopened items of mail and those opened for the extraction of fees but not acknowledged was 591. All mail received in the post room is now being opened and acknowledged within 24 hours.
Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will indicate the date of receipt of applications for the citizenship being dealt with by Lunar house on 21 November.
Mr. Renton : Information is not available in the form requested. The average time since the date of application for cases completed by the nationality division (including the Liverpool nationality office) during October 1988 was 13 months for registration and 21 months for naturalisations.
Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for (a) citizenship and (b) variations of leave have been received ; and how many applications have been (i) granted and (ii) not granted in each case, in each of the last two years.
Mr. Renton : Information on applications for citizenship and variation of limited leave to stay and how they are dealt with is published in the annual report "Immigration, Nationality and Passports". Information on applications made, and decisions taken, in 1986 and 1987 for these two types of cases is given in the following two tables :
(b) Variations of limited leave to stay in the United Kingdom,
excluding EC nationals<3>
|1986 |1987
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of applications received (by post or
in Public Enquiry Offices) |261,280|230,470
Number of grants of extensions of stay or
settlement |214,270|197,510
Number of refusals of extension or
settlement |9,280 |9,130
Note:
<3> This table does not include figures for applications which were
withdrawn, or which for other reasons did not require a decision.
(b) Variations of limited leave to stay in the United Kingdom,
excluding EC nationals<3>
|1986 |1987
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of applications received (by post or
in Public Enquiry Offices) |261,280|230,470
Number of grants of extensions of stay or
settlement |214,270|197,510
Number of refusals of extension or
settlement |9,280 |9,130
Note:
<3> This table does not include figures for applications which were
withdrawn, or which for other reasons did not require a decision.
Asylum
Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people applied for asylum in the United Kingdom in each month of 1988 to October ; how many were (a) refused and (b) granted ; and how many were (i) detained and (ii) removed.
Mr. Renton : Information for the first two quarters of 1988 is given in table 1. Information on the number of asylum applicants detained is not collected in the form requested. However, table 2 gives the number of asylum applicants at ports who, on the first day of the month indicated, had been detained for more than one month.
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Comprehensive information on the numbers of asylum applicants removed is not available centrally.Table 2: Number of asylums applications at ports detained for more than one month Number of persons on first day of month 1988 |Number ------------------------ January |43 February |50 March |51 April |41 May |55 June |40 July |21 August |20 September |23 October |20 November |25
Table 2: Number of asylums applications at ports detained for more than one month Number of persons on first day of month 1988 |Number ------------------------ January |43 February |50 March |51 April |41 May |55 June |40 July |21 August |20 September |23 October |20 November |25
Visitors (Entry Refusals)
Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will indicate the number of refusals of visitors at United Kingdom ports of entry in 1985, 1986 and for the first 10 months of 1988, showing the figure as a percentage by the number of visitor applications made.
Mr. Renton : The available information on the numbers of passengers admitted into the United Kingdom and on those who were refused leave to enter and removed in 1985, 1986 and 1987 are published annually in table 1 of the annual Command Paper "Control of Immigration Statistics, United Kingdom" (Cm. 9863, 166 and 415 respectively). Although the numbers of visitors admitted are known, it is not possible to distinguish from the refused and removed figures those passengers who had sought entry as visitors.
In the first nine months of 1988, 13,743 non-EC passengers were refused leave to enter and removed. The corresponding admission figures are not yet available.
Emission Controls (Crown Immunity)
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will be seeking Crown immunity from prosecution for the institutions which are the responsibility of his Department when the anticipated new controls on emissions come into operation.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : I refer to my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's reply on Tuesday 29 November. The Home Department has no plans to seek removal of Crown immunity in relation to the proposed air pollution regulations.
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Car Phones
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions have been made against vehicle drivers for the use of car phones while driving a vehicle.
Mr. John Patten : The available information relates to proceedings at magistrates courts for all offences of careless driving etc., and is published annually in "Offences relating to motor vehicles, England and Wales, Supplementary tables" (table 5 of the issue for 1986, the latest available). The figures for 1987 will be published soon. Information is not collected centrally about the circumstances of these alleged offences.
PRIME MINISTER
Poland (Visit)
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Prime Minister (1) if during her recent visit to Poland she discussed with the Polish Government the possibility of the export of pollution abatement technology for rivers and waterways from the United Kingdom ;
(2) if during her recent visit to Poland, she took the opportunity to raise with the Polish Government the possibility of Poland purchasing combined cycle clean coal-burning power station technology from the United Kingdom ;
(3) if during her recent visit to Poland she discussed with the Polish Government the effect of the Chernobyl fall out on Polish agriculture ; and if there were any lessons the United Kingdom could learn, in terms of environmental protection, from the Polish experience ;
(4) if during her recent visit to Poland she raised the issue of Her Majesty's Government's concern over pollution released into the atmosphere from Polish power plants and factories contributing towards acid rain, ozone layer depletion and the greenhouse effect ; (5) if during her recent visit to Poland she discussed with officials and members of the Polish Government the possibilities of the United Kingdom exporting nuclear reactors, nuclear fuels and nuclear waste disposal technologies to Poland ;
(6) if during her recent visit to Poland she discussed with Polish Government ministers progress made in nuclear, chemical and conventional arms control talks, in regard to the stabilisation of security in central Europe ;
(7) if during her recent visit to Poland she discussed mutual methods of support of the non-proliferation treaty and the international nuclear safeguard regime.
The Prime Minister : I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave to my right hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, South (Sir P. Blaker) on 11 November 1988 at columns 315-16.
Greenhouse Effect
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Prime Minister if, as part of her policy to develop a United Kingdom and European Community response to the greenhouse effect, she will seek to obtain, and set in train an expert evaluation of the Schmidbauer report on precautions for the protection of the earth's atmosphere released by the Bundestag in August.
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The Prime Minister : All available relevant information will be taken into account in considering possible responses to the threat of global warming. The inter-governmental panel on climate change, under the auspices of UNEP and the WHO, has established three working groups to report on the science, effects and response to the greenhouse effect. The United Kingdom will be playing a major role in this key international forum, both leading the working group on scientific assessment and contributing to clarification of possible policy responses.
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Prime Minister if she will initiate an interdepartmental evaluation of the total annual replacement numbers of incandescent light bulbs currently used by each Government Department, Government agencies, quangos, local government departments and educational establishments in the United Kingdom, as part of her recent policy announcement to counter the greenhouse effect ; and if she will further initiate a cost comparison between replacement with compact fluorescent energy efficient bulbs and those incandescent bulbs currently in use.
The Prime Minister : No. It is already Government policy to use the most cost effective and energy efficient form of lighting appropriate to the circumstances.
Arms Control
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Prime Minister if during her recent visit to Washington and meeting with President Reagan and President-elect Bush, she discussed developments since the December 1984 memorandum of understanding of the strategic defence initiative and the anti-ballistic missile treaty on (a) arms control verification for space weapons, (b) the recent United States-Union of Soviet Socialist Republics joint review of the anti- ballistic missile treaty, (c) future contract possibilities in the United Kingdom for strategic defence initiative research and development and (d) the continued implications for the strategic defence programme of the agreements at the 1986 Reykjavik summit and the treaty of Washington in 1987 on intermediate range nuclear forces and other arms control issues.
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Prime Minister if she has any plans in her forthcoming meeting with President Gorbachev to put forward new initiatives to convert the 1963 partial test ban treaty into a comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty.
The Prime Minister : No. For the foreseeable future United Kingdom security will depend on deterrence based in part on possession of nuclear weapons ; this will mean a continuing requirement to test them to ensure that they remain effective and up-to-date. A comprehensive nuclear test ban remains a long term goal but progress will only be made by a step-by-step approach which must take account of technical advances in verification as well as progress elsewhere in arms control and the attitude of other states.
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Prime Minister if in her forthcoming meeting with President Gorbachev she will make it her policy to attempt to secure common agreement on a joint United Kingdom-Union of Soviet Socialist Republics initiative on nuclear arms elimination under article 6 of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.
Column 249
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Prime Minister if during her recent visit to Washington DC and meeting with President Reagan and
President-elect Bush, she put forward any new arms control and disarmament initiatives in the field of verification measures for a comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty.
TRANSPORT
Dangerous Substances
Mr. Snape : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will bring forward proposals to strengthen the existing regulations regarding the transportation of dangerous and toxic materials by road ; and if he will take steps to see that the existing regulations are properly enforced.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : Proposals are made when necessary in the light of new developments and practical experience. The regulations are enforced by the Health and Safety Executive with the support of the police and the Department's traffic examiners.
Sewage Works (Perry Oaks)
Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to receive the feasibility report on the possibility of moving the Thames Water sewage works from Perry Oaks to an alternative site ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : A report commissioned jointly by the then British airports authority and the Thames water authority on the feasibility of releasing the Perry Oaks sludge works site was completed in July 1986, and a copy deposited in the Library. I understand that the further technical trials recommended by the report, to determine the optimum method of releasing the site, are now complete and that BAA plc and the Thames water authority are discussing its future.
Road Accidents
Mr. Adley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if, in the light of the report of the Royal College of Surgeons on deaths following road accidents, he will now consider further measures to eradicate congestion, increase facilities for offenders and encourage the transfer of traffic from road to rail.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health is considering the issues raised by this independent report, which deals with fatal injury accidents in general, not just those from road accidents.
On alleviating road congestion, I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply of 28 November to his previous question on this issue at column 167.
On the question of transferring traffic from road to rail I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply of 28 November to my hon. Friend the Member for Mid-Kent (Mr. Rowe) at column 162.
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Emission Controls (Crown Immunity)
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will be seeking Crown immunity from prosecution for the institutions which are the responsibility of his Department when the anticipated new controls on emissions come into operation.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : I refer to my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's reply on Tuesday 29 November. This Department has no plans to seek removal of Crown immunity in relation to the proposed air pollution regulations.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Satellite Information Services Ltd.
Mr. Watts : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what information he has about equity shareholdings in Satellite Information Services Limited and about arrangements made for unallocated shares to be placed and the mechanism to be used for such placing.
Mr. Maude : Information has been given in connection with the company's application to be licensed under the Telecommunications Act 1984. Save for specified purposes section 101 of the Act precludes its disclosure in the absence of the company's consent. The most recent publicly available information is that contained in the company's public record held under the Companies Act 1985 at Companies house.
Manufacturing Industry
Mr. Baldry : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on United Kingdom manufacturing industries productivity since 1980 and that of major international competitors.
Mr. Maude : Since 1980 manufacturing productivity, as measured by output per head, has grown faster in the United Kingdom than in all other major industrialised countries. Over the previous two decades the United Kingdom was at the bottom of the league.
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing in terms of 1988 prices the balance of trade in manufactures each year from 1958 and to the current year to date at an annualised rate, where possible less erratic items.
Mr. Alan Clark : Figures are only available at 1988 prices from 1970 onwards. The remaining figures requested are shown in the table below :
Manufactures less erratics (BOP basis) at 1988 prices (£ billion) Period |Exports|Imports|Balance ---------------------------------------- 1970 |31.6 |15.4 |+16.2 1971 |33.8 |16.7 |+17.2 1972 |33.0 |20.2 |+12.9 1973 |37.7 |24.5 |+13.1 1974 |40.9 |26.5 |+14.4 1975 |39.0 |23.5 |+15.5 1976 |42.5 |26.2 |+16.3 1977 |45.5 |28.6 |+16.0 1978 |46.0 |32.6 |+13.3 1979 |45.7 |37.9 |+7.7 1980 |45.1 |35.6 |+9.5 1981 |43.9 |37.5 |+6.5 1982 |44.1 |41.6 |+2.5 1983 |43.5 |47.0 |-3.5 1984 |47.9 |52.4 |-4.5 1985 |51.5 |54.9 |-3.5 1986 |52.0 |58.3 |-6.2 1987 |56.1 |64.2 |-8.0 1988<1> |59.0 |74.3 |-15.3 <1> The figures for 1988 are for January-October 1988 at an annualised rate.
m
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the percentage increase in the volume of imports of manufactures from and exports to the European Economic Community since 1970.
Mr. Alan Clark : Information on trade at constant prices is not available by area. Data at current prices are in the following table :
4
United Kingdom Trade in Manufactures with EC
Countries<1>
£ billion
\S\BoP Basis
|Exports|Imports
----------------------------------------------------
1970 |2.2 |1.5
12 months to September 1988 |30.7 |42.5
Note: <1> Present membership in both periods.
Source: Department of Trade and Industry.
Inward Investment
Mr. Robert G. Hughes : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the level of inward investment into the United Kingdom in 1987.
Mr. Alan Clark : According to the latest figures known to the invest in Britain bureau, in 1987, 323 inward investment decisions were made to locate in the United Kingdom. It is expected that these will create 21,279 jobs and safeguard a further 20,284. The associated capital investment is not known.
Scottish and Newcastle Breweries
Mr. Canavan : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he expects to receive the report from the Monopolies and Mergers Commission on the proposed take-over of Scottish and Newcastle Breweries.
Mr. Maude : The Monopolies and Mergers Commission is due to submit its report by 9 March 1989.
Single European Market
Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on progress with regard to arrangements made by his Department to assist British firms to take full advantage of the completion of the internal market in 1992.
Mr. Alan Clark : Nine out of ten firms in this country are now aware of the significance of the single market. The central aim of DTI's Europe "Open for Business" campaign is to encourage firms throughout the country to examine the implications for their business and take action to prepare for the challenge.
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Japan
Mr. Yeo : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the current balance of trade in manufactured goods with Japan.
Mr. Alan Clark : The crude balance of trade in manufactured goods, defined as sections 5 to 8 of the standard international trade classification revision 3, with Japan based on the provisional figures for the nine months to September 1988 was £3,632.9 million in deficit.
Emission Controls (Crown Immunity)
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will be seeking Crown immunity from prosecution for the institutions which are the responsibility of his Department when the anticipated new controls on emissions come into operation.
Mr. Forth : I refer to my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's reply on Tuesday 29 November at column 178 . My Department has no plans to seek removal of Crown immunity in relation to the proposed air pollution regulations.
Takeovers
Mr. Stern : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has any plans to amend the regulations for reference to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission in relation to projected takeovers by non United Kingdom resident companies.
Mr. Maude : No. The Government's policy on merger control was set out in our Blue Paper of 3 March following a review of mergers policy. The main consideration in deciding whether a merger should be referred to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission is the effect of the merger on competition. This applies to bids by foreign companies just as to bids by domestic companies.
Post Office Users Council
Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he last met representatives of the Post Officer Users Council ; and what matters were discussed.
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