Electricity Act 1989

12 Modification references to Monopolies Commission.E+W+S

[F1(1)The Authority may make to the Competition Commission a reference which is so framed as to require the Commission to investigate and report on the questions—

(a)whether any matters which relate to the carrying on of activities authorised or regulated by a particular licence and which are specified in the reference operate, or may be expected to operate, against the public interest; and

(b)if so, whether the effects adverse to the public interest which those matters have or may be expected to have could be remedied or prevented by modifications of the conditions of the licence.

(1A)The Authority may make to the Competition Commission a reference which is so framed as to require the Commission to investigate and report on the questions—

(a)whether any matters which relate to the carrying on of activities authorised or regulated by licences of any type mentioned in section 6(1), and which are specified in the reference operate, or may be expected to operate, against the public interest; and

(b)if so, whether the effects adverse to the public interest which those matters have or may be expected to have could be remedied or prevented by modifications of the standard conditions of licences of that type.]

(2)The Director may, at any time, by notice given to the [F2Competition Commission] vary a reference under this section by adding to the matters specified in the reference or by excluding from the reference some F3... of the matters so specified; and on receipt of any such notice the Commission shall give effect to the variation.

(3)The Director may specify in a reference under this section, or a variation of such a reference, for the purpose of assisting the [F2Competition Commission] in carrying out the investigation on the reference—

(a)any effects adverse to the public interest which, in his opinion, the matters specified in the reference or variation have or may be expected to have; and

(b)any modifications of the [F4relevant conditions] by which, in his opinion, those effects could be remedied or prevented.

(4)As soon as practicable after making a reference under this section or a variation of such a reference, the Director—

(a)shall serve a copy of the reference or variation on the holder of the licence [F5or, as the case may be, the relevant licence holders and the Council]; and

(b)shall publish particulars of the reference or variation in such manner as he considers appropriate for the purpose of bringing the reference or variation to the attention of persons likely to be affected by it.

(5)The Director shall also send a copy of a reference under [F6subsection (1A)], or a variation of such a reference, to the Secretary of State; and if, before the end of the period of 28 days beginning with the day on which the Secretary of State receives the copy of the reference or variation, the Secretary of State directs the [F2Competition Commission] not to proceed with the reference or, as the case may require, not to give effect to the variation, the Commission shall comply with the direction.

(6)It shall be the duty of the Director, for the purpose of assisting the [F2Competition Commission] in carrying out an investigation on a reference under this section [F7or in carrying out functions under section 14A], to give to the Commission—

(a)any information in his possession which relates to matters falling within the scope of the investigation [F7or the carrying out of those functions] and—

(i)is requested by the Commission for that purpose; or

(ii)is information which, in his opinion, it would be appropriate for that purpose to give to the Commission without any such request; and

(b)any other assistance which the Commission may require, and which it is within his power to give, in relation to any such matters;

and the Commission, for the purpose of carrying out any such investigation [F7or such functions], shall take account of any information given to them for that purpose under this subsection.

[F8(6A)In this section and sections [F912A,] 13, 14 and 14A—

• “relevant conditions”—

  (a)

  in relation to a reference under subsection (1), means the conditions of the licence to which the reference relates; and

  (b)

  in relation to a reference under subsection (1A), means the standard conditions of the licences to which the reference relates; and

• “relevant licence holder” means the holder of a licence to which a reference under subsection (1A) relates.]

(7)In determining for the purposes of this section whether any particular matter operates, or may be expected to operate, against the public interest, the [F2Competition Commission] shall have regard to the matters as respects which duties are imposed on the Secretary of State and the Director by section [F103A to 3C].

F11(8). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F11(8A). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F12(9). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F12(9A). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .