Milk Marques successors have been given the official go-ahead to process milk if they wish to do so.
Since Milk Marque was split into three independent groups on 21 September 1999, the UK Director General of Fair Trading has been monitoring the operation of the market. He reported his findings to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, Stephen Byers, last month, concluding that Milk Link, Axis and Zenith are selling their milk independently of each other and operating in a fashion that satisfies the concerns of the Competition Commission.
Milk Marque asserted that all policy making and selling of milk would be carried out by each of its successors separately. There would be no joint ventures between the new businesses in marketing or processing of milk, no common directors and no shareholdings by any one of the new businesses in either of the others.
Central services which could not be divided prior to last years reorganisation will cease to be supplied by Milk Marque to its successors after 31 March 2001.
Byers, said: