U.K. Government to Announce Fox-Sky Deal Decision by July 12

The U.K. government will give its final ruling on 21st Century Fox Inc.’s 11.7 billion pound ($15.5 billion) bid for Sky Plc by July 12, a decision set to trigger a bidding contest with Comcast Corp. for Britain’s top pay-TV company.

Jeremy Wright, who became culture secretary on Monday as part of a shake-up by Prime Minister Theresa May, said he would stick to plans to announce a decision imminently. “I intend to keep to the timetable,” Wright said in a written statement to Parliament.