Part 4C1C2C3C4C5C6C7C8C9C11C10C19C18C12C20C13C16C15C14C17C21F1Market Studies and Market Investigations

Annotations:
Amendments (Textual)
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C1

Pt. 4 (ss. 131-184) modified (20.6.2003) by 1988 c. 41, Sch. 7 para. 20(5)-(8) (as substituted by Enterprise Act 2002 (c. 40), ss. 185, 279, Sch. 11 para. 11(3); S.I. 2003/1397, art. 2(1), Sch. (with art. 8)

C3

Pt. 4 (ss. 131-184) modified (20.6.2003) by 1993 c. 43, s. 67(2A)(2B) (as substituted by Enterprise Act 2002 (c. 40), ss. 168(9), 279, Sch. 9 para. 21(2)); S.I. 2003/1397, art. 2(1), Sch.

C5

Pt. 4 (ss. 131-184) modified (20.6.2003) by 1991 c. 56, s. 31(4) (as substituted by Enterprise Act 2002 (c. 40), ss. 168(9), 279, Sch. 9 para. 19(3)); S.I. 2003/1397, art. 2(1), Sch.

C6

Pt. 4 (ss. 131-184) modified (20.6.2003) by 1991 c. 56, s. 31(2A) (as substituted by Enterprise Act 2002 (c. 40), ss. 168(9), 279, Sch. 9 para. 19(2)); S.I. 2003/1397, art. 2(1), Sch.

C7

Pt. 4 (ss. 131-184) modified (20.6.2003) by 1984 c. 12, s. 50(2B) (as substituted by Enterprise Act 2002 (c. 40), ss. 168(9), 279, Sch. 9 para. 16(2)); S.I. 2003/1397, art. 2(1), Sch.

C8

Pt. 4 (ss. 131-184) modified (20.6.2003) by 1989 c. 29, s. 43(2B) (as substituted by Enterprise Act 2002 (c. 40), ss. 168(9), 279, Sch. 9 para. 18(2)); S.I. 2003/1397, art. 2(1), Sch.

Pt. 4 (ss. 131-184) modified (25.7.2003 for certain purposes and 29.12.2003 for certain purposes) by Communications Act 2003 (c. 21), ss. 370(3), 411(2)(3) (with transitional provisions in Sch. 18); S.I. 2003/1900, arts. 1(2), 2(1), 3(1), Sch. 1 (with arts. 3-6 (as amended (8.12.2003) by S.I. 2003/3142, art. 1(3))); S.I. 2003/3142, art. 3(2)

Pt. 4 (ss. 131-184) modified (N.I.) (1.4.2007) by The Water and Sewerage Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/3336 (N.I. 21)), arts. 1(2)(3), 29(4) (with arts. 8(9), 121, 307); S.R. 2007/194, art. 2(2), Sch. 1 Pt. 2 (with Sch. 2)

C10

Pt. 4 functions made exercisable concurrently (6.4.2013) by Civil Aviation Act 2012 (c. 19), ss. 60(2), 110(1) (with s. 77(1)-(3), Sch. 10 paras. 12, 17); S.I. 2013/589, art. 2(1)-(3)

C13

Pt. 4 certain functions made exercisable concurrently (1.4.2014) by Financial Services (Banking Reform) Act 2013 (c. 33), s. 59(1)-(5), 148(5); S.I. 2014/823, art.

C21

Pt. 4: certain functions made exercisable concurrently (26.12.2023) by Energy Act 2023 (c. 52), ss. 36(1)-(3), 334(3)(a) (with s. 38)

C19C18C12C20C13C16C15C14C17Chapter 2Public interest cases

Intervention notices

139 Public interest intervention by Secretary of State

F3A1

This section applies where—

a

the CMA has published a market study notice in relation to a matter; or

b

the CMA has begun the process of consultation under section 169 in respect of a decision of the kind mentioned in subsection (6)(a)(i) of that section.

F31

The Secretary of State may, within the permitted period, give a notice to the CMA if the Secretary of State believes that it is or may be the case that one or more than one public interest consideration is relevant to the matter.

F31A

For the purposes of subsection (1), the permitted period, in a case to which this section applies by virtue of paragraph (a) of subsection (A1), is the period beginning with the publication of the market study notice and ending with—

a

the acceptance by the CMA of an undertaking under section 154 instead of the making of a reference under section 131 in relation to the matter;

b

the publication of notice of the fact that the CMA has otherwise decided not to make such a reference in relation to the matter;

c

the making of such a reference in relation to the matter; or

d

in a case where the period permitted by section 131B for the preparation and publication by the CMA of the market study report in relation to the matter has expired and no such report has been prepared or published, the end of that period.

1B

For the purposes of subsection (1), the permitted period, in a case to which this section applies by virtue of paragraph (b) of subsection (A1), is the period beginning with the date on which the CMA begins the process of consultation concerned and ending with—

a

the acceptance by the CMA of an undertaking under section 154 instead of the making of a reference under section 131 in relation to the matter concerned;

b

the publication of notice of the fact that the CMA has otherwise decided not to make such a reference in relation to the matter; or

c

the making of such a reference in relation to the matter.

2

The Secretary of State mayF6, within the permitted period, give a notice to the F7CMA if—

a

the F7CMA is considering whether to accept—

i

an undertaking under section 154 instead of making a reference under section 131 F8in relation to the matter; or

ii

an undertaking varying or superseding any such undertaking;

b

the F7CMA has published a notice under section 155(1) or (4); and

c

the Secretary of State believes that it is or may be the case that one or more than one public interest consideration is relevant to the F9proposal to accept the undertaking.

F42A

For the purposes of subsection (2), the permitted period is—

a

where the CMA publishes a notice under section 155(1), the period within which representations may be made in relation to the proposed undertaking (as to which, see section 155(2)(f));

b

where the CMA publishes a notice under section 155(4), the period within which representations may be made in relation to the proposed modifications to the proposed undertaking (as to which, see section 155(5)(c)).

3

In this Part “intervention notice” means a notice under subsection (1) or (2).

F24

No more than one intervention notice shall be given under subsection (1) in relation to the same matter.

4A

An intervention notice shall not be given under subsection (2) in relation to a proposal to accept an undertaking if the proposal relates to a matter in respect of which an intervention notice under subsection (1) has already been given.

4B

No more than one intervention notice shall be given under subsection (2) in relation to the same proposed undertaking or in relation to proposed undertakings which do not differ from each other in any material respect.

F54C

In this section, a reference to the acceptance of an undertaking shall, in a case where the CMA has accepted a group of undertakings under section 154, be treated as a reference to the acceptance of the last undertaking in the group; but undertakings which vary, supersede or revoke earlier undertakings shall be disregarded for the purposes of this section.

5

For the purposes of this Part a public interest consideration is a consideration which, at the time of the giving of the intervention notice concerned, is specified in section 153 or is not so specified but, in the opinion of the Secretary of State, ought to be so specified.

6

Where the Secretary of State has given an intervention notice mentioning a public interest consideration which, at that time, is not finalised, he shall, as soon as practicable, take such action as is within his power to ensure that it is finalised.

7

For the purposes of this Part a public interest consideration is finalised if—

a

it is specified in section 153 otherwise than by virtue of an order under subsection (3) of that section; or

b

it is specified in that section by virtue of an order under subsection (3) of that section and the order providing for it to be so specified has been laid before, and approved by, Parliament in accordance with subsection (6) of section 181 and within the period mentioned in that subsection.