UK BISCUIT INDUSTRY

Motion Text

That this House is concerned about the acquisition of United Biscuits plc. by the Finalrealm consortium, which would lead to a dangerous concentration of ownership in the UK biscuit market with Finalrealm controlling 60 per cent; notes that partners in this consortium include Danone, which dominates the French biscuit market and owns British-based Jacobs, and also Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst, an American leveraged buy-out firm which already owns Hillsdown Holdings and its subsidiary Horizon Biscuits; notes that the resultant rationalisation would lead to the loss of 3,000 manufacturing jobs; and calls upon Her Majesty's Government urgently to examine this acquisition through the Department of Trade and Industry and appropriate UK competition authorities.