Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 28 April 2025 to Question 45218 on Competition and Markets Authority: Public Appointments what steps is he is taking to help ensure adequate (a) scrutiny and (b) accountability of the new chair of the Competition and Markets authority to prevent conflicts of interest.

As set out in the Competition and Markets Authority (“CMA”) Framework Agreement, the performance of the CMA Chair is reviewed annually by the responsible Director General within the Department for Business and Trade in accordance with the Chair’s duties and in consultation with the CMA Board. As noted in my previous answer, a new Framework Agreement will be published later this year.

The CMA has published its own Conflicts of Interest Policy and also publishes a register of interests of all of its Board members.