Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing mandatory mediation in the Competition Appeal Tribunal.

It is to the benefit of all parties involved in litigation that disputes are managed efficiently. The government, therefore, supports the use, where appropriate, of mediation as a means to resolve disputes without the expense of litigation.

The government is conducting a review of the opt-out collective actions regime for competitive claims before the Competition Appeal Tribunal. The review considers all aspects of the regime, including the role of alternative dispute resolution, and a consultation on proposals for change will be published in due course.