asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the anxiety in Scotland and elsewhere concerning the development of monopoly conditions in the Press of this country, he will take steps to set up a Press Amalgamations Court in accordance with the recommendation of the Royal Commission on the Press, Command Paper No. 1811.

A statement about the Government's conclusions on this recommendation will be made as soon as possible.

Can my right hon. Friend indicate how long that will be? Is he aware that repeated Answers have been given in the House, certainly not by this Government but by others, which have not met the anxieties felt in Scotland and elsewhere over the development of monopoly conditions in the newspaper industry? Can he, therefore, inject into this problem a sense of urgency, as he is doing in other problems?

The whole House has expressed its anxiety about Press amalgamations over a very long period of years. In fact, it is now over two years since the Commission reported. The previous Government obviously found considerable difficulty—and it is a difficult problem—in reaching a conclusion in two years. I am sure that my hon. Friend will understand, therefore, if we have not been able to reach a conclusion in a matter of 3½ weeks.

Whilst investigating this Press monopoly, will the Prime Minister also include an inquiry about why the Daily Mirror gobbled up the old Daily Herald? Surely, it would be better for a free Press if the success of the Sun could be independent of the Mirror Group?

I do not think that the recommendation in the Royal Commission's Report for setting up a Press Amalgamations Court involved retrospective action. The intention was, I think, that it would pronounce on any possible future amalgamation and not that there should be an inquiry such as the hon. Member suggests.