The Government Confronts the Recommendations

Abstract

On 21 March the Monopolies and Mergers Commission (MMC) Report was made public, and Lord Young, acting on the advice of both Sir Gordon Borrie and his own officials, said that he accepted its findings and was “minded to implement” the recommendations in full, a choice of words that was to haunt him.¹ In his autobiography, The Enterprise Years, Young gives only the briefest account of the beer Report, but acknowledges that it had been a mistake to say this.² A more guarded response would certainly have proved less of a hostage to fortune. That same day Young wrote to Brittan, requesting talks about the inter-relationship between the MMC recommendations and the Block Exemption. He also wrote a “Dear Colleague” letter to Members of Parliament (MPs) commending the Report and announcing his disposition to implement it — but omitting to mention the Mills Note of Dissent.