The companies supply vehicle repair and maintenance information (RMI) platforms across the UK, which give access to digital data and are mainly used by workshops and other repairers to diagnose, service and repair vehicles.

On 26 January 2017, Solera Holdings Inc. acquired the ultimate holding company of Autodata Publishing Group Limited.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) subsequently conducted an investigation into this acquisition and found competition concerns, should the merger be allowed to proceed.

This was due to the fact the companies are the 2 main suppliers of these platforms in the UK and compete closely with each other. Other suppliers face significant barriers to entry and expansion in the UK.

Solera has since offered to overcome these concerns by selling its RMI platform in the UK, E3 Technical (which is part of CarweB), to a buyer approved in advance by the CMA. It has also offered to provide transitional support to the buyer of the divested business.

The CMA considers there are reasonable grounds for believing the undertakings offered, or a modified version of them, might be acceptable, and will open a public consultation on the undertakings in due course.

The CMA has until 27 July to consider whether to accept the undertakings, or a modified version of them, with the possibility of extending this deadline to 22 September 2017 if there are special reasons for doing so.

All information relating to the investigation is available on the case page.

Updated: All the reports on this page have been updated:
WEEE collected in the UK, WEEE received at an approved authorised treatment facility, WEEE received by approved exporters, Electrical and electronic equipment placed on the UK market, non-obligated WEEE received at approved authorised treatment facilities and approved exporters.

The Charity Commission, the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales, has opened a statutory inquiry into All Nations Community Centre, registered charity number 1111832. The inquiry was opened on 21 March 2017.

The charity has objects to provide community activities, including educational and social support, in the Gloucestershire area.

In September 2016 the charity was included in the Commission’s class inquiry into charities that are in default for submitting their statutory accounts and returns for 2 or more financial years. The Commission requested the charity submit its accounting information for the 5 financial years ending 30 September 2011 through to 2015. The trustees failed to comply with the order.

The inquiry will look at:

• whether All Nations Community Centre is established as a charity and is operating for the public benefit
• the general administration, governance and management of the charity by the trustees with specific regard to the charity’s property
• whether or not the trustees have complied with and fulfilled their duties and responsibilities as trustees under charity law

The Commission stresses that opening an inquiry is not in itself a finding of wrongdoing. The purpose of an inquiry is to examine issues in detail and investigate and establish the facts so that the regulator can ascertain whether there has been misconduct and/or mismanagement; establish the extent of the risk to the charity’s property, beneficiaries or work; decide what action needs to be taken to resolve the serious concerns, if necessary using its investigative, protective and remedial powers to do so.

It is the Commission’s policy, after it has concluded an inquiry, to publish a report detailing what issues the inquiry looked at, what actions were undertaken as part of the inquiry and what the outcomes were. Reports of previous inquiries by the Commission are available on GOV.UK.

The charity’s details can be viewed on the Commission’s online charity search tool.

Ends

PR 44/17

---

Notes to editors

1. The Charity Commission is the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales. To find out more about our work, see our annual report.

2. Search for charities on our online register.

3. Section 46 of the Charities Act 2011 gives the Commission the power to institute inquiries. The opening of an inquiry gives the Commission access to a range of investigative, protective and remedial legal powers.

4. The Commission’s decision to announce the opening of a statutory inquiry is based on whether it is in the public interest to do so and with consideration of our objective to increase public trust and confidence in charities.

2016 – 2017 Language training (Tagalog) 2012 – 2016 Madrid, Deputy Head of Mission 2008 – 2012 Bangkok, Deputy Head of Mission 2006 – 2008 FCO, Head, Economic and Central Europe Group 2004 – 2005 FCO, Director, Organisation Project 2002 – 2004 No. 10 Downing Street, International Affairs Press Officer 1999 – 2002 UK Permanent Representation to the European Union, Brussels, Spokesman 1999 NATO Headquarters, Brussels, Speechwriter, Media Operations Centre 1997 – 1999 FCO, Head, EU Enlargement section 1993 – 1997 UK Permanent Representation to the European Union, Brussels, Second Secretary (Trade Policy) 1991 – 1993 FCO, Desk Officer, European Communities (Internal) Department 1990 Joined Foreign and Commonwealth Office