grounds. As indicated above, these

grounds. As indicated above, these included not only monopoly and merger references
but also references concerned with the performance of public sector bodies and privatised
industries and with anti-competitive practices by individual firms (i.e. competition
references). In addition, the Commission was empowered to consider general references
(involving practices in industry), restrictive labour practices and references under the
Broadcasting Act 1990, as well as questions of proposed newspaper mergers, where special
provisions apply. On receipt of a reference, the Commission’s chairman appointed a small group of
members to carry out the relevant inquiry and to report on whether the company (or
companies) concerned was operating – or could be expected to operate – against the