Lord Currie presents at Ronald Tress Memorial lecture
The Chair of the Competition and Markets Authority gave the 2015 Ronald Tress Memorial lecture at Birkbeck
In May 2015 the School of Business, Economics and Informatics held the annual Ronald Tress Memorial Lecture to celebrate the life of a former Master and founder of the Birkbeck department now driving onwards as Economics, Mathematics and Statistics (EMS).
Delivering the 2015 lecture was David Currie, Lord Currie of Marylebone, Chairman of the Competition and Markets Authority. Lord Currie offered an analysis of the current competition policy framework following the 2015 UK general election.
Ronald Tress was an eminent applied economist and a formidable administrator who became Master of Birkbeck College, London, Secretary General of the Royal Economic Society and Director of the Leverhulme Trust. Lord Currie paid tribute to Tress’s institution-building as well as the role played during the war effort, notably assisting with the Marshall Plan.
In 1968, Tress was appointed Master of Birkbeck College where he remained for the next ten years. He fully supported the unique mission of Birkbeck of providing higher education for mature part-time students and ensured the financial security of the College at a difficult time for universities. He proved to be a firm, supportive Master, and it was perhaps inevitable that he would establish an Economics department at Birkbeck, which still flourishes.
The Reformed UK Competition and Consumer Regime: a new Legal Framework for a Changing Marketplace
Lord Currie’s lecture reviewed the recent reform of the UK competition and consumer regime resulting from the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 and the Consumer Rights Act 2015. It was argued that these reforms will be seen in time as a significant enhancement of the UK regime, comparable to the Fair Trading Act 1973, the Competition Act 1998 and the Enterprise Act 2002.
It went on to consider the relationship between law and economics in the competition and consumer regime, particularly in light of recent developments in behavioural economics, and how the new Competition and Markets Authority should manage the relationship between its legal and economics work so as to maximise the effectiveness of its enforcement and markets and mergers regime. It concluded by restating the importance of the independence of the regime from political and other influence.
Lord Currie then kindly answered a variety of questions from the audience based on topics covered in the talk, with perspectives from professionals and academics involved in economics, law, and business.
Study in the Department of Economics, Mathematics and Statistics
Watch a video about studying Economics, Mathematics and Statistics at Birkbeck.
Find out more
- Watch Lord Currie’s Memorial lecture online (ITS username and password required)
- Competition and Markets Authority resources
- More information on research in the Department of Economics, Mathematics and Statistics
- Stay informed of future events hosted by the School of Business, Economics and Informatics through twitter