Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013

11 (1) Section 144 (time-limits for investigations and reports in public interest cases) is amended as follows.

(2) In subsection (1)—

(a) for “the date of the reference” substitute “the relevant date”, and

(b) for the words from “publish it” to the end substitute “publish it under section 143(1) or 143A(2) or (as the case may be) give it to the Secretary of State in accordance with section 143(3) or 143A(3).”

(3) After subsection (1) insert—

“(1A) For the purposes of subsection (1), the “relevant date” is—

(a) in the case of a report in relation to a restricted PI reference or to a full PI reference which specifies that the Secretary of State does not propose to appoint a public interest expert, the date of the reference;

(b) in the case of a report in relation to a full PI reference which specifies that the Secretary of State proposes to appoint a public interest expert, the earliest of the following—

(i) the date of the appointment of the expert;

(ii) the date on which the Secretary of State gives notice to the CMA that the Secretary of State no longer intends to appoint such an expert;

(iii) the end of the period of 2 months beginning with the date of the reference.”

(4) In subsection (4), after “143(1) or (3)” insert “or (as the case may be) 143A(2) or (3)”.