Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential implications of Disney's takeover of 21st Century Fox for the Competition and Markets Authority's investigation into the anticipated acquisition of Sky Plc by 21st Century Fox; and if she will make a statement.

On 14 December, Disney and the 21st Century Fox announced details of an agreement for the sale of 21st Century Fox to Disney. This includes its interests in two major UK Media companies Sky PLC and Endemol/Shine. 21st Century Fox currently remains as the bidder for Sky PLC and Disney and 21st Century Fox confirmed in their joint announcement that they want the 21st Century Fox bid for Sky - announced in December 2016 – to continue. The current Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) inquiry into the Fox/Sky merger will therefore continue.

The CMA are of course fully aware of the Disney bid and it is for them to consider how to account for this development in their inquiry. The CMA are due to publish their interim findings on the merger in mid-January and provide their final report by 6 March. I will then consider all the relevant information and make the final decision on the merger.