Where the CMA makes a request under section 33A(3), the Authority must give its opinion on—
whether and to what extent the actual or prospective merger has prejudiced or is likely to prejudice the Authority's ability, in carrying out its functions by virtue of this Act, to make comparisons between water enterprises, and
where it forms the view that the actual or prospective merger has prejudiced or is likely to prejudice that ability, whether the prejudice in question is outweighed by any relevant customer benefits relating to the merger.
In forming an opinion on the matters in subsection (1), the Authority must apply the methods set out in the statement under section 33C that has effect when the request under section 33A(3) is made.
In this section "relevant customer benefit" has the meaning given by paragraph 7 of Schedule 4ZA, except that references in paragraph 7 to what the CMA believes are to be read for the purposes of this section as references to what the Authority believes.