Contributions
2,186 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDDigital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill (Tenth sitting)I picked up three questions. The reason the hon. Lady could not follow my argument about appeals from the first bit was because that was the bit I forgot to answer. I will cover…27 Jun 2023HANSARDDigital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill (Tenth sitting)I think the reason is the wide range of remediation events that may come before the enforcer to tackle, so they are being given that flexibility, but with an understanding that…27 Jun 2023HANSARDDigital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill (Tenth sitting)Clauses 161 to 164 restate and update provisions in part 8 of the Enterprise Act 2002 that enable the CMA to perform co-ordination functions across the consumer enforcement…27 Jun 2023HANSARDDigital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill (Tenth sitting)The CMA being able to issue permission to bring enforcement procedures is consistent with the position under part 8 of the Enterprise Act 2002. We respect and understand the…27 Jun 2023HANSARDDigital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill (Tenth sitting)I take the hon. Lady’s point, but I would say that it has been directly transposed. It is a power not a duty in the Enterprise Act, and that is where we have worked from.27 Jun 2023HANSARDDigital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill (Tenth sitting)I or the relevant Minister will certainly write to the hon. Gentleman on that basis. Question put and agreed to. Clause 161 accordingly ordered to stand part of the Bill. Clauses…27 Jun 2023HANSARDDigital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill (Ninth sitting)Let me cover the criminal offences in the regime, which largely mirror existing powers that the Competition and Markets Authority has in the Competition Act 1998. Criminal…27 Jun 2023HANSARDDigital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill (Ninth sitting)I will now cover the remaining enforcement measures in the regime, and the appeals process. Clause 97 gives power to the DMU to apply to the court to disqualify a director of a…27 Jun 2023HANSARDDigital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill (Ninth sitting)I appreciate the hon. Lady’s approach to the appeals standard, which she has taken in regard to the measures throughout the Bill. The Government speak to larger companies and…27 Jun 2023HANSARDDigital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill (Ninth sitting)Clauses 102 to 115 deal with the administration of the regime and some technical matters. Clause 102 provides the DMU with the ability to extend investigations for strategic…27 Jun 2023HANSARDDigital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill (Ninth sitting)I thank the hon. Lady for her approach. Let me answer some of her questions. Notices will be made public, and information about the groups will be reported online. [Official…27 Jun 2023HANSARDDigital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill (Ninth sitting)The UK’s markets regime is the CMA’s most powerful tool for promoting competition in UK markets. Clauses 129 to 133 reform the markets regime, ensuring that it is effective,…27 Jun 2023HANSARDDigital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill (Ninth sitting)Indeed, a lot of the publication is done online, as we have discussed, even if that is not stated specifically in the Bill. I hope the hon. Lady takes heart in that. The hon. Lady…27 Jun 2023HANSARDDigital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill (Eighth sitting)Clause 83 allows the DMU to impose penalties on SMS firms where it is satisfied that the firm breached a regulatory requirement without reasonable excuse. Clause 84 sets the…22 Jun 2023HANSARDDigital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill (Seventh sitting)Regarding the hon. Member’s questions about the Secretary of State having the powers to amend things, I cannot give her an example but it very much goes back to what I was saying…22 Jun 2023HANSARDDigital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill (Seventh sitting)Clearly the DMU needs to have access to the correct information to ensure its work is evidence-based. Clause 67 allows the DMU to request information it needs to either exercise,…22 Jun 2023HANSARDDigital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill (Seventh sitting)I beg to move amendment 13, in clause 69, page 39, line 18, after “access” insert “business”. This amendment limits the power of the CMA to require access to premises so that it…22 Jun 2023HANSARDDigital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill (Seventh sitting)Government amendments 13 to 24 remove possible ambiguities about the scope of the power of access, and of a firm’s duty to co-operate with a skilled person, so that they are…22 Jun 2023HANSARDDigital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill (Seventh sitting)We listened to the evidence and considered that, and we will reflect on that in our further consideration of the Bill. It was interesting to hear the evidence last week.22 Jun 2023HANSARDDigital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill (Seventh sitting)I am saying that the amendments that we are discussing in this grouping are specifically about domestic and business premises. I am just keeping to the narrow scope of the…22 Jun 2023