Asked by: Baroness Harding of Winscombe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government why the Competition and Markets Authority has not yet announced the third investigation regarding the designation of strategic market status of digital activity, as announced on 7 January; and when they plan to do so.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
On 24 June the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced that it anticipates considering further Strategic Market Status investigations in early 2026. As the UK’s independent competition authority, the CMA operates the digital markets regime independently from the Government and decides whether to launch Strategic Market Status investigations. The CMA’s independence maintains trust, upholds impartial decision making and is a strength of the UK’s regulatory and business environment.
Asked by: Baroness Harding of Winscombe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they intend to introduce legislation to regulate physician associates and anaesthesia associates.
Answered by Lord Markham - Shadow Minister (Science, Innovation and Technology)
We plan to publish the public consultation on the draft legislation that will enable the General Medical Council (GMC) to regulate physician associates (PAs) and anaesthesia associates (AAs) by the end of 2022. Following this consultation, we will finalise the legislation, complete the required legal checks and lay the order in Parliament in the second half of 2023, subject to Parliamentary time. The GMC will then develop and implement its rules and processes for regulating PAs and AAs within 12 months, enabling regulation to commence in the second half of 2024.