Instruments relating to COVID-19
Changes to business practice and regulation
Competition Act 1998 (Coronavirus) (Public Policy Exclusions) (Revocations) Order 2021 (SI 2021/773)
2.This Order revokes the following four Orders which were made to suspend temporarily prohibitions of certain types of anti-competitive activity, as set out in Chapter 1 of the Competition Act 1998:
- The Health Services for Patients in England Order1 was made to cover contractual arrangements between independent healthcare providers and NHS England, enabling such providers to support the NHS by expanding its capacity in England during the pandemic. The Health Services for Patients in Wales Order2 allowed equivalent arrangements between independent healthcare providers and NHS Wales. As of 31 March 2021, all relevant contractual arrangements in England and Wales have expired.
- The Solent Maritime Crossings Order3 was made to enable collaboration between the Solent crossing operators to ensure the continuity of essential transport services between the Isle of Wight and mainland UK. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy says that the Secretary of State is satisfied that the temporary measures are no longer needed as there is no more threat of severe disruption to Isle of Wight ferry crossing services.
- The Groceries No.2 Order4 was made as a contingency measure to prepare for a possible combination of short-term disruption to UK food supply as a result of the pandemic and the potential effects of the end of the Transition Period on 31 December 2020 following EU Exit. The Groceries No.2 Order expired at the end of 31 March 2021, in line with a sunset provision, but it is revoked by this instrument for completeness.
3.Two other Orders dealing with the groceries and dairy sectors have already been revoked.5
1 Competition Act 1998 (Health Services for Patients in England) (Coronavirus) (Public Policy Exclusion) Order 2020 (SI 2020/368).
2 Competition Act 1998 (Health Services for Patients in Wales) (Coronavirus) (Public Policy Exclusion) Order 2020 (SI 2020/435).
3 Competition Act 1998 (Solent Maritime Crossings) (Coronavirus) (Public Policy Exclusion) Order 2020 (SI 2020/370).
4 Competition Act 1998 (Groceries) (Public Policy Exclusion) Order 2020 (SI 2020/1568).
5 SI 2020/369 and SI 2020/481 were revoked by SI 2020/933.