To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when his Department plans to publish its conclusions on the legality of vertical ties under the Competition Act 1998. [76255]

My Department is currently consulting publicly on a draft proposed order under section 50 of the Competition Act 1998, which would, if implemented, define and exclude vertical agreements from the prohibition of anti-competitive agreements in the Act. Views are being sought by 6 April and I expect to announce a decision about the scope of such an order within a reasonable time thereafter.