Disclosures of interest

FIRSTGROUP PLC / SCOTRAIL

Cathryn Ross, Deputy Director of Remedies, will be acting as business adviser to the group of members conducting the above inquiry. Cathryn worked as Head of Competition Economics at the Office of the Rail Regulator (ORR) between January 2002 and October 2003. At the ORR, the vast majority of Cathryn’s work was in overseeing the economic analysis of cases under the Competition Act 1998. However, Cathryn did provide input into the advice provided by the ORR to the OFT on railway mergers. She also advised in a range of other matters at the ORR including developing internal policy on the application of the Competition Act 1998 and in developing appropriate methodologies for analysis, advising on regulatory policy which impacted on competition, and liaising with the Strategic Rail Authority on competition issues. Cathryn has never worked directly on matters concerning Scotrail. She did, however, advise on First Great Western’s application for moderation of competition in the track access agreement it negotiated in 2002.

The Commission believes that Cathryn’s work at the ORR will not prejudice her ability to advise the group of members independently and impartially. If you have any objection, however, please let me know as soon as possible and, in any event, no later than close of play Monday, 19 January.