Clause 28 - Relevant customer benefits
Enterprise Bill
5:00 pm
Mr Ken Purchase (Wolverhampton North East, Labour/Co-operative)
I am worried that we seem to be writing get-out clauses. I draw the attention of my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary to subsection 1(a)(i) and ask in a friendly but probing way, ''Lower prices, for how long? Higher quality, what if it falls?'' Those questions can be addressed, but I am worried that the provision may provide the opportunity to continue with a merger when, in truth, consumers will benefit not at all.
I also draw to my hon. Friend's attention subsection (2)(a), which refers to ''a reasonable period'', whatever that might mean in terms of the process of a merger. Will she deal with timing and say whether those escape clauses do a disservice to consumers when the onus should be on the merging companies to prove that they will bring positive benefits?