"11A References under section 11: time-limits (1) Every reference under section 11 above shall specify a period (not longer than six months beginning with the date of the reference) within which a report on the reference is to be made.
(2) A report of the Commission on a reference under section 11 above shall not have effect (and no action shall be taken in relation to it under section 12 below) unless the report is made before the end of the period specified in the reference or such further period (if any) as may be allowed by the Secretary of State under subsection (3) below.
(3) The Secretary of State may, if he has received representations on the subject from the Commission and is satisfied that there are special reasons why the report cannot be made within the period specified in the reference, extend that period by no more than three months.
(4) No more than one extension is possible under subsection (3) above in relation to the same reference.
(5) The Secretary of State shall publish any extension made by him under subsection (3) above in such manner as he considers most suitable for bringing it to the attention of persons who in his opinion would be affected by it or be likely to have an interest in it.
11B References under section 11: powers of investigation and penalties (1) The following sections of Part 3 of the Enterprise Act 2002 shall apply, with the modifications mentioned in subsections (2) and (3) below, for the purposes of references under section 11 above as they apply for the purposes of references under that Part—
| (a) | section 105 (attendance of witnesses and production of documents); |
| (b) | section 106 (enforcement of powers under section 105 general); |
| (c) | section 107 (penalties); |
| (d) | section 108 (penalties: main procedural requirements); |
| (e) | section 109 (payments and interest by instalments); |
| (f) | section 110 (appeals); |
| (g) | section 111 (recovery of penalties); and |
| (h) | section 112 (statement of policy). |
(2) Section 106 shall, in its application by virtue of subsection (1) above, have effect as if—
| (a) | subsection (2) were omitted; |
| (b) | in subsection (4), for the word "publication" there were substituted "laying before both Houses of Parliament"; and |
| (c) | in subsection (9) the words from "or section" to "section 63(3))" were omitted. |
(3) Section 107(5)(b)(ii) shall, in its application by virtue of subsection (1) above, have effect as if for the words from "the latest" to the end there were substituted "the day on which the report of the Commission on the reference concerned has been laid before both Houses of Parliament".
11C References under section 11: further supplementary provisions
(1) Section 113 of the Enterprise Act 2002 (false or misleading information) shall apply in relation to functions under this Act as it applies in relation to functions under Part 3 of that Act but as if, in subsections (1)(a) and (2), the words "the OFT" were omitted.
(2) Section 117 of the Enterprise Act 2002 (offences by bodies corporate) shall apply for the purposes of this Act as it applies for the purposes of Part 3 of that Act.
(3) For the purposes of section 12 below, a conclusion contained in a report of the Commission is to be disregarded if the conclusion is not that of at least two-thirds of the members of the group constituted in connection with the reference concerned in pursuance of paragraph 15 of Schedule 7 to the Competition Act 1998.
11D Interim orders
(1) Subsection (2) below applies where, in the circumstances specified in subsection (1) of section 12 below, the Secretary of State has under consideration the making of an order under subsection (5) of that section.
(2) The Secretary of State may by order, for the purpose of preventing pre-emptive action—
| (a) | prohibit or restrict the doing of things which the Secretary of State considers would constitute pre-emptive action; |
| (b) | impose on any person concerned obligations as to the carrying on of any activities or the safeguarding of any assets; |
| (c) | provide for the carrying on of any activities or the safeguarding of any assets either by the appointment of a person to conduct or supervise the conduct of any activities (on such terms and with such powers as may be specified or described in the order) or in any other manner; |
| (d) | do anything which may be done by virtue of paragraph 20 of Schedule 7 to the Enterprise Act 2002 (information powers). |
(3) An order under this section shall come into force at such time as is determined by or under the order.
(4) An order under this section shall, if it has not previously ceased to be in force, cease to be in force on the making of the order under section 12(5) below or (as the case may be) on the making of the decision not to make such an order.
(5) The Secretary of State shall publish any decision made by him not to make an order under section 12(5) below in such manner as he considers most suitable for bringing it to the attention of persons who in his opinion would be affected by it or be likely to have an interest in it.
(6) The Secretary of State shall, as soon as reasonably practicable, consider any representations received by him in relation to varying or revoking an order under this section.
(7) The following provisions of Part 3 of the Enterprise Act 2002 shall apply in relation to orders under this section as they apply in relation to orders under paragraph 2 of Schedule 6 to that Act—
| (a) | section 82(2) and (3) (enforcement orders: general provisions); |
| (b) | section 83 (delegated power of directions); and |
| (c) | section 90(1) to (5), (8) and (9) (rights to enforce orders). |
(8) In this section "pre-emptive action" means action which might impede the making of an order under section 12(5) below.".
