Trade secretary Patricia Hewitt will have a target of 30 working days to announce her decision on the Competition's Commission's report on Safeway's future.
This means that Hewitt's final verdict should be announced at the end of next month. Earlier this week the DTI insisted that Hewitt would be working towards a 20 working day “administrative” target.
But given the importance of the commission's conclusions it is believed the DTI wish to give it a thorough review. The report will also go to the Cabinet Office, Scottish Executive, Treasury and Office of Fair Trading.
Sir Derek Morris, the commission's chairman, is anxious to avoid giving any grounds for Asda to seek a judicial review if the company felt proper procedures were not followed.
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