The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is investigating Bauer Media’s completed takeover of certain radio businesses of Celador Entertainment Limited, Lincs FM Group Limited and The Wireless Group Limited along with the entire business of UKRD Group Limited.

As part of an in-depth Phase 2 investigation led by an independent group of panel members, the CMA is concerned about how these transactions could affect the future viability of First Radio Sales Limited, a firm that currently provides more than 100 independent local radio stations with sales representation to national advertisers.

If FRS were to shut down, local radio stations would have to seek sales representation from Bauer or Global (the largest commercial radio group in the UK), leaving local radio stations with little choice when trying to sell national radio advertising airtime and potentially leading to them paying higher commission rates.

The CMA also found that, as a result of Bauer buying Wireless’s Signal 107 station, it now owns the only two stations which can offer local advertising specifically targeted at the Wolverhampton area. This lack of choice could result in advertisers wishing to promote their products to a Wolverhampton audience facing higher prices for ad slots.

The CMA is asking for views on these provisional findings by 6 January 2020 and will assess all evidence provided before making a final decision. The statutory deadline for the CMA’s final report is 17 March 2020.

For more information visit the Bauer Media Group Inquiry page.

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RAIB has today released its interim report following track workers struck by a train at Margam, South Wales, 3 July 2019.

We will publish our findings, including any recommendations to improve safety, at the conclusion of our investigation.

Our investigation is independent of any investigation by the railway industry, the British Transport Police or by the industry’s regulator, the Office of Rail and Road.

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Published 5 December 2019

Our accident investigation report into a fatal fall while a crew member was boarding the tug Millgarth from the north oil stage at Tranmere Oil Terminal on 27 January 2019, is now published.

The report contains details of what happened, the subsequent actions taken and the recommendation made: read more.

Published 5 December 2019

Speaking after Allies published a declaration on NATO’s approach to tackling future challenges, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said:

The 30 nations that gathered today for the NATO Leaders’ Meeting reaffirmed their commitment to investing in the alliance and transforming their capabilities to meet 21st Century threats. I was delighted that all of the nations agreed on the importance of solidarity and recognised that NATO is the cornerstone of Euro-Atlantic security.

70 years since its founding NATO continues to endure even when short term differences present themselves. Britain, with Europe’s largest defence budget, is proud to have hosted the meeting and I am confident NATO has a long and purposeful future ahead of it.

Published 4 December 2019

It was agreed amongst all of us that 70 years after its foundation here in London, it is absolutely true to say that NATO is the most successful alliance in history and it now guarantees the peace and prosperity of a billion people around the world in 29 countries. It will shortly be 30 of course, now that North Macedonia is joining.

And everybody also attested to the fundamental reason for the success of that alliance and it is based on the idea of solidarity, in defence of our values of freedom and democracy, the basic idea of all for one and one for all encapsulated in Article 5 of the North Atlantic treaty that we come to each other’s mutual defence.

That’s why NATO works and that’s why it’s so powerful and so successful.

And of course the UK has long argued that you can’t be complacent about that, you can’t remotely take that for granted, you’ve got to ensure that we continue to spend on our collective defence and that’s why we’ve made the case for 2% of GDP as the minimum NATO spend for every member.

And we’ve been successful in that campaign, because if you look at what’s happened since the Cardiff summit in 2014, actually there has been a substantial increase in spending by our European friends of $130 billion dollars – it will rise to $400 billion by 2024.

And at this meeting here today and country after country pledged or gave an account of how they were going to meet the pledge of 2%.

I was able to sketch out some of the ways which the UK leads in for instance the European contribution to the NATO readiness initiative and we are contributing one armed brigade, two squadrons of fast jets, six major warships – including the two aircraft carriers.

And several other delegations, several other nations, also emphasised that were going to step up their contributions to the readiness initiative amongst other things.

And there was a mood of very great solidarity and determination and a willingness to push NATO forward, not just for the next few years but for the next 70 years.

A real belief in the long-standing value of this alliance.

And we also had good discussions on Russia, how we should respond collectively to Russia, the need to be aware of Russia but also the need to engage.

We discussed cyber, the challenges of what is going on in cyberspace, the asymmetric warfare and threats that we collectively face, the need for us to engage together in looking at the challenges from space and working together to develop a policy on space.

We also agreed that we would, having heard a really terrible account of the earthquake in Tirana in Albania from Edi Rama, we also agreed that we would act collectively to help the people of Tirana and Durres to get back on their feet.

And that was the essence of the discussion that I think was extremely practical and extremely harmonious.