Competition Act 1980

General provisions about references and investigations U.K.

16 General provisions as to reports. U.K.

F1 (1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(2) For the purposes of the law relating to defamation, absolute privilege shall attach to any report of the Commission F2 ... under this Act.

F3 (3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 16(1) repealed (20.6.2003) by Enterprise Act 2002 (c. 40), s. 279, Sch. 25 para. 10(5)(a), Sch. 26; S.I. 2003/1397, art. 2(1), Sch. (with art. 8)

F2 Words in s. 16(2) repealed (20.6.2003) by Enterprise Act 2002 (c. 40), s. 279, Sch. 25 para. 10(5)(b), Sch. 26; S.I. 2003/1397, art. 2(1), Sch. (with art. 8)

F3 S. 16(3) repealed (1.3.2000) by 1998 c. 41, ss. 74(1)(3), Sch. 12 para. 4(6), Sch. 14 Pt. I (with s. 73); S.I. 2000/344, art. 2, Sch.

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 16 modified (transfer of functions) by Telecommunications Act 1984 (c. 12, SIF 96), s. 50(3) and (E.W.S.) by Electricity Act 1989 (c. 29, SIF 44:1), s. 43(3)

C2 S. 16 modified (transfer of functions) (1.4.1992) by S.I. 1992/231, art. 46(3)(4); S.R. 1992/117, art. 3(1)

C3 S. 16 modified (transfer of functions) and amended (E.W.S.) (1.4.1994) by 1993 c. 43, s. 67(3)(4); S.I. 1994/571, art. 5

C4 S. 16 amended (E.W.)(1.12.1991) by Water Industry Act 1991 (c. 56, SIF 130), ss. 31(4)(c), 35(4), 223(2) (with ss. 82(3), 186(1), 222(1), Sch. 14 para. 6)

C5 Ss. 2-10, 16: certain functions transferred (1.3.1996) by 1986 c. 44, s. 36A (as inserted (1.3.1996) by 1995 c. 45, s. 10(1), Sch. 3 para. 43; S.I. 1996/218, art. 2)

Ss. 2-10, 16: certain functions transferred (N.I.) (10.6.1996) by S.I. 1996/275 (N.I. 2), art. 23(3) (with Sch. 7 paras. 2, 3(2)); S.R. 1996/216, art. 2

17 Laying before Parliament and publication of reports. U.K.

(1) Subject to subsection (2) below, the Secretary of State shall lay a copy of any report made to him under section F4 . . ., 11(10) F5 ... above before each House of Parliament and shall arrange for the report to be published in such manner as appears to him appropriate.

(2) The Secretary of State shall not lay a copy of a report made to him under section F6 . . . 11(10) above before either House of Parliament unless at least twenty-four hours before doing so he has transmitted to every person specified in the reference a copy of the report in the form in which it is laid (or by virtue of subsection (3) below is treated as being laid) before each House of Parliament.

(3) If a report made to him under section F4 . . ., 11(10) F7 ... above is presented by command of Her Majesty to either House of Parliament otherwise than at or during the time of a sitting of that House, the presentation of the report shall for the purposes of this section be treated as the laying of a copy of it before that House by the Secretary of State.

(4) If it appears to the Secretary of State that the publication of any matter in a report made to him under section F4 . . ., 11(10) F7 ... above would be [F8 inappropriate] , he shall exclude that matter from the copies of the report as laid before Parliament and from the report as published under this section.

[F9 (5) In deciding what is inappropriate for the purposes of subsection (4) the Secretary of State shall have regard to the considerations mentioned in section 244 of the Enterprise Act 2002.]

(6) Any reference in [F10 section] 12 above to a report of the Commission shall be construed as a reference to the report in the form in which copies of it are laid (or by virtue of subsection (3) of this section are treated as having been laid) before each House of Parliament under this section.

Textual Amendments

F4 Words in s. 17(1)(3)-(5) repealed (1.3.2000) by 1998 c. 41, ss. 74(1)(3), Sch. 12 para. 4(7)(a), Sch. 14 Pt. I (with s. 73); S.I. 2000/344, art. 2, Sch.

F5 Words in s. 17(1) repealed (20.6.2003) by Enterprise Act 2002 (c. 40), s. 279, Sch. 25 para. 10(6)(a), Sch. 26; S.I. 2003/1397, art. 2(1), Sch. (with art. 8)

F6 Words in s. 17(2) repealed (1.3.2000) by 1998 c. 41, ss. 74(1)(3), Sch. 12 para. 4(7)(b), Sch. 14 Pt. I (with s. 73); S.I. 2000/344, art. 2, Sch.

F7 Words in s. 17(3)(4) repealed (20.6.2003) by Enterprise Act 2002 (c. 40), s. 279, Sch. 25 para. 10(6)(a), Sch. 26; S.I. 2003/1397, art. 2(1), Sch. (with art. 8); S.I. 2003/1397, art. 2(1), Sch. (with art. 8)

F8 Word in s. 17(4) substituted (20.6.2003) by Enterprise Act 2002 (c. 40), s. 279, Sch. 25 para. 10(6)(b); S.I. 2003/1397, art. 2(1), Sch. (with art. 8)

F9 S. 17(5) substituted (20.6.2003) by Enterprise Act 2002 (c. 40), s. 279, Sch. 25 para. 10(6)(c); S.I. 2003/1397, art. 2(1), Sch. (with art. 8)

F10 Words in s. 17(6) substituted (1.3.2000) by 1998 c. 41, ss. 74(1), Sch. 12 para. 4(7)(c) (with s. 73); S.I. 2000/344, art. 2, Sch.

F11 18 Information and advice about operation of Act. U.K.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F11 S. 18 repealed (20.6.2003) by Enterprise Act 2002 (c. 40), s. 279, Sch. 25 para. 10(7), Sch. 26; S.I. 2003/1397, art. 2(1), Sch. (with art. 8)

19 Restriction on disclosure of information. U.K.

F12 (1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F12 (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F12 (3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(4) For the purpose of enabling information obtained under certain enactments to be used for facilitating the performance of functions under this Act, the following amendments shall be made in provisions respecting disclosure of information, namely—

(a) at the end of paragraph (aa) of the proviso to section 47(2) of the M1 Agricultural Marketing Act 1958 there shall be added the words “or the Competition Act 1980” ;

[F13 (b) at the end of paragraph (aaa) of section 23(2) of the M2 Agricultural Marketing Act (Northern Ireland) Act 1964 there shall be added the words “or the Competition Act 1980” ;]

F14 (c) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F14 (d) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(e) at the end of paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section 41 of the Restrictive Trade Practices Act 1976 there shall be added the words “or the Competition Act 1980” ; and

F15 (f) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F16 (5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F16 (6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F17 (7) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F12 S. 19(1)-(3) repealed (20.6.2003) by Enterprise Act 2002 (c. 40), ss. 247(f), 279, Sch. 26; S.I. 2003/1397, art. 2(1), Sch. (with art. 6)

F13 S. 19(4)(b) repealed (prosp.) (but by S.R.s 1984 No. 422 and 1989 No. 47 the repeal came into operation in relation to the Pigs Marketing Board (Northern Ireland) on 31.12.1984 and in relation to the Milk Marketing Board for Northern Ireland on 1.4.1989 respectively) by S.I. 1982/1080 (N.I. 12), art. 46(2), Sch. 9

F14 S. 19(4)(c)(d) repealed (20.6.2003) by Enterprise Act 2002 (c. 40), ss. 247(f), 279, Sch. 26; S.I. 2003/1397, art. 2(1), Sch. (with art. 6)

F15 S. 19(4)(f) repealed (20.6.2003) by Enterprise Act 2002 (c. 40), ss. 247(f), 279, Sch. 26; S.I. 2003/1397, art. 2(1), Sch. (with art. 6)

F16 S. 19(5)(6) repealed (20.6.2003) by Enterprise Act 2002 (c. 40), ss. 247(f), 279, Sch. 26; S.I. 2003/1397, art. 2(1), Sch. (with art. 6)

F17 S. 19(7) repealed (5.11.1993) by 1993 c. 50, s. 1(1), Sch. 1 Pt. XIV Gp. 2

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C6 S. 19 amended (E.W.S.) by Electricity Act 1989 (c. 29, SIF 44:1), s. 43(3)

S. 19 amended (E.W.) (1.12.1991) by Water Industry Act 1991 (c. 56, SIF 130), ss. 31(4)(c), 35(4), 223(2) (with ss. 82(3), 186(1), 222(1), Sch. 14 para. 6)

C7 S. 19 modified (1.4.1992) by S.I. 1992/231, art. 46(3); S.I. 1992/117, art. 3(1)

C8 S. 19 amended (E.W.S.) (1.4.1994) by 1993 c. 43, s. 67(3)(4); S.I. 1994/571, art. 5

S. 19 amended (N.I.) (10.6.1996) by S.I. 1996/275 (N.I. 2), art. 23(3) (with Sch. 7 paras. 2, 3(2)); S.R. 1996/216, art. 2

C9 S. 19(1) excluded by Broadcasting Act 1990 (c. 42, SIF 96), s. 197(5)(c)

C10 The text of s. 19(4) is in the form in which it was originally enacted: it was not reproduced in Statutes in Force and, except as specified, does not reflect any amendments or repeals which may have been made prior to 1.2.1991.

Marginal Citations

M1 1958 c. 47.

M2 1964 c. 13 (N.I.)