Mergers are considered by the independent Competition and Markets Authority under the Enterprise Act 2002.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4487", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Rochester and Strood"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Kelly Tolhurst"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-02-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "previousAnswerVersion" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1059801/answer/previousversion/102488", "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4487", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Rochester and Strood"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Kelly Tolhurst"} } , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-02-19T16:14:16.387Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "201"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-02-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Asda: Sainsbury's"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to ensure that employees' views are taken into account during the extension of the inquiry by the Competition and Markets Authority into the merger of Sainsbury\u2019s and Asda.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4667", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mike Amesbury"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Weaver Vale"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mike Amesbury"} ], "uin" : "220331"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/895358", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/895358/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Sainsbury\u2019s and Asda have stated that they have not planned any store closures and or instore job losses as a result of the proposed merger. They have also said that they intend to continue operating both brands.<\/p>
<\/p>
Mergers are independent of Ministerial control. Under the Enterprise Act 2002, which governs mergers in the UK, my rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State has a role only in cases where a merger gives rise to concerns over security, media plurality and financial stability. Should the proposed merger raise competition concerns, the Competition and Markets Authority, independent of Government has the power to investigate. We currently await their views on the merger.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3936", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrew Griffiths"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Burton"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Andrew Griffiths"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-05-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-05-08T14:57:59.7Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "201"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-05-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Asda: Sainsbury's"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate he has made of the potential job losses arising from the proposed merger of ASDA and Sainsbury's in the (a) stores, (b) head offices and (c) distribution centres of both supermarkets; and what assessment he has made of the potential effect of that merger on the level of growth in the (i) North West and (ii) UK economy.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4667", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mike Amesbury"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Weaver Vale"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mike Amesbury"} ], "uin" : "140220"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/895360", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/895360/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Sainsbury\u2019s and Asda are private companies and the Government has no role in their strategic decisions. When the proposed merger was announced, I spoke with USDAW, GMB and Unite unions to understand their positions. Along with my rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State, I also spoke with the CEOs of Sainsbury\u2019s and Asda and reiterated the importance of them engaging not only with the USDAW, GMB and Unite unions, but also with other unions with an interest such as the National Farmers Union.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3936", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrew Griffiths"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Burton"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Andrew Griffiths"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-05-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-05-08T14:58:24.97Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "201"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-05-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Asda: Sainsbury's"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to encourage ASDA and Sainsbury's to engage directly and meaningfully with trade unions following the announcement of the potential merger of those businesses.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4667", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mike Amesbury"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Weaver Vale"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mike Amesbury"} ], "uin" : "140221"} ], "itemsPerPage" : 10, "page" : 0, "startIndex" : 1, "totalResults" : 3, "type" : ["http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#ListEndpoint", "http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#Page"]} }