Explanatory note

This Order makes provision about electrical contracting services provided to exhibitors at exhibition halls in Greater London with more than 2,500 square metres of exhibition space.

This Order provides that the owners of exhibition halls may not impose restrictions on who may provide electrical contracting services to exhibitors at exhibitions organised by persons unconnected with the hall owner except on objectively justified grounds. Where an exhibition organiser and the hall owner are connected, then the exhibition organiser may only require the use of a particular electrical contractor if that contractor has been competitively chosen. In such cases the contractor must notify the exhibitors of its prices before the exhibitors enter into a contract to exhibit at the particular exhibition.

Hall owners may not receive any valuable benefits from contractors in return for requiring or promoting the use of their services.

The Order does not apply to agreements so far as they are agreements to which the Restrictive Trade Practices Act 1976 applies.

Copies of the report of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission on which the Order is based (Cm 995) may be obtained from Her Majesty’s Stationery Office.