Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with the Competition and Markets Authority on the potential impact of software licensing practices on (a) Small to Medium Enterprises in Wales and (b) the Welsh economy.

The Government engages regularly with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) on the effective operation of the UK’s competition framework, including how it supports competitive digital markets across all parts of the UK, including Wales.

While the CMA operates independently of Government in its investigations and decision making, the Government gave a clear steer for the CMA to use its new powers in digital markets collaboratively and proportionately.

In March, the CMA announced a package of actions to strengthen competition in business software and cloud services. This includes a Strategic Market Status investigation into Microsoft’s business software under the UK’s digital markets regime, alongside voluntary actions from Amazon and Microsoft in cloud services. These actions taken together will support SMEs and businesses in Wales and the rest of the UK by lowering barriers to competition, increasing choice and helping firms access digital tools on fairer terms.