Part VI Mergers and Related Matters

151 False or misleading information.

At the end of Part VIII of the M1Fair Trading Act 1973 there is inserted—

93B False or misleading information.

1

If a person furnishes any information—

a

to the Secretary of State, the Director or the Commission in connection with any of their functions under Parts IV, V, VI or this Part of this Act or under the Competition Act 1980, or

b

to the Commission in connection with the functions of the Commission under the Telecommunications Act 1984 or the Airports Act 1986,

and either he knows the information to be false or misleading in a material particular, or he furnishes the information recklessly and it is false or misleading in a material particular, he is guilty of an offence.

2

A person who—

a

furnishes any information to another which he knows to be false or misleading in a material particular, or

b

recklessly furnishes any information to another which is false or misleading in a material particular,

knowing that the information is to be used for the purpose of furnishing information as mentioned in subsection (1)(a) or (b) of this section, is guilty of an offence.

3

A person guilty of an offence under subsection (1) or (2) of this section is liable—

a

on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum, and

b

on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to a fine or to both.

4

Section 129(1) of this Act does not apply to an offence under this section.