Ownership and control of UK infrastructure come under OFT spotlight

In a move to better understand the competition issues in the infrastructure sector, the Office of Fair Trading ("OFT") has announced it is to undertake an informal 'stock-take' of who owns and controls key economic infrastructure in the UK, such as ports, airports, energy and water networks and car parks. 

The 'own-initiative' stock-take has been prompted by significant changes in the ownership of infrastructure assets in the last decade, both regulated and unregulated.  The OFT has denied that the study is in response to specific complaints or related directly to any government initiative.  With an estimated £150 billion having been invested in UK economic infrastructure in the last 5 years, and with an estimated further £500 billion required in the next 10 years, the OFT is keen to get a better understanding of how this key sector of the economy is functioning and who owns and controls what.