CMA Board meeting minutes: 21 February 2023
Published 31 May 2023
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Meeting date: 21 February 2023
Venue: In the Cabot, London and by videoconference
Members present
- Marcus Bokkerink (Chair)
- Kirstin Baker
- Sarah Cardell (CEO)
- Martin Coleman
- Cynthia Dubin
- Amelia Fletcher
- Michael Grenfell
- Murdoch MacLennan
- David Stewart
Advisors present
- Stuart Hudson, Senior Director Strategy, Communications and Advocacy
- Lucy Robbins, Senior Director, People, Capability and Culture
- Chris Prevett, Interim General Counsel
- Mike Walker, Chief Economic Adviser
Apologies
- Erik Wilson (COO)
CMA staff present
- Kate Bridge, Director of Executive Office, Security and Performance
- Sukhinder Lalli, Legal Director, Governance, Compliance and Risk
- Chief of Staff, Executive Office
- Committee Secretary (minutes)
Teams
The meeting was attended by teams from across the CMA, including from the Digital Markets Unit (DMU), Corporate Services, Consumer enforcement, Markets & Mergers and the Office for the Internal Market (OIM).
Minutes
Introduction
1 . Introduction
The Chair welcomed the Board members to the meeting. Apologies were received from Erik Wilson.
Minutes
The Board approved the minutes from the meeting of the Board on 18 January 2023 and the extraordinary Board meeting that took place on 1 February 2023, without any changes. The Board acknowledged the committee minutes received.
Major developments in the external environment in which we operate
2 . CEO and Chair comments
The Board noted the recent machinery of Government changes and the division of BEIS’s portfolio of responsibilities into three separate departments.
Strategy, Policy, Portfolio and Risk Management
3 . CEO update
The CEO updated the Board on recent developments in the CMA, including the February Resources, Portfolio and Pipeline meeting. The Board reviewed the corporate risk register and the external guidance tracker.
4 . Microeconomics Unit – Update, workplan and research strategy
The Board was updated on the establishment of the CMA Microeconomics Unit’s and its workplan. It approved the publication of the Microeconomics Unit’s Economic Research.
5 . Market Resilience – draft discussion paper
The Board considered the drivers of market resilience and the role that competition policy can play in addressing risks to supply disruption.
6 . Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer (DMCC) Bill: DMU Decision-Making and Appeals Standards
The Board discussed the CMA’s engagement with Government across a range of policy and legislative drafting questions around the development of the DMU, providing guidance to the team on how best the proposed new powers could be applied effectively in practice.
7 . DMCC Bill: Consumer Reform
The Board received an overview of how the new administrative model for consumer law enforcement will work, and the broader context within which it will operate; it was also updated on the status of these reforms, considering the potential opportunities for the CMA.
8 . DMCC Bill: DMCC Engagement Strategy
The Board endorsed the proposed strategy to promote support for the Bill and engaging with stakeholders.
9 . Guidance on environmental sustainability agreements under the Competition Act 1998
The Board approved the proposed approach to the publication of the draft guidance for consultation on the application of the Competition Act prohibition on anti-competitive agreements.
10 . Audit and Risk Assurance Committee (ARAC) update
The Chair of the ARAC provided a summary on the topics discussed at the meeting held on 30 January 2023.
Cases
11 . CEO update
The CEO updated the Board on recent developments on cases across the CMA.
12 . (1) Accommodation: Housebuilding market study
The Board approved the launch of a Market Study into housebuilding.
(2) Accommodation: Preliminary Research work (Consumer)
The Board endorsed the potential outputs and preliminary research work plan.
Business model
13 . CEO update
The CEO provided an update on recent developments in the CMA’s business model.
People
14 . CEO update
The CEO updated the Board on recent developments in recruitment and HR.
Operational
15 . CEO update
The CEO updated the Board on recent operational developments.
16 . AOB
The Board approved the proposed changes to the Open Banking Committee Terms of Reference. The Board noted the OIM Statutory reports.
The Chair reviewed the meeting and thanked the Board.