Carlton/Granada merger referred

Patricia Hewitt, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, has referred the proposed merger of Carlton Communications PLC and Granada PLC to the Competition Commission under the provisions of the Fair Trading Act 1973. This decision is in accordance with the advice of the Office of Fair Trading. The CC are to make their report to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry by 25 June 2003. Frontier is advising Granada on this investigation.