, the Commission is supported by
a staff of about 150 who include administrators, specialists and individuals engaged in
support services. Most of these are direct employees; the remainder are seconded from
government departmentsThe role of the Commission is to examine mergers and market situations referred to
it by another authority, usually the Office of Fair Trading. It has no powers to conduct
inquiries on its own initiative. Under the Enterprise Act 2002, the Commission has been
given responsibility for making decisions on competition questions and for making and
implementing decisions on appropriate remedies. It also investigates references on the
regulated sectors of the economy, including the privatised public utilities, the broadcasting
and media businesses and the financial services sector.