| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Business Links
Mr. Thurnham: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many businesses in the north-west have received advice from business links since they were introduced. [34104]
Mr. Page: The latest returns from business links show that the number of businesses using business links in the north-west more than quadrupled between April 1995 and March 1996 from 3,103 different businesses using business links at least once in the first quarter, April to July 1995, to 12, 820 doing so in the final quarter, January to March 1996. This means that more than 980 different businesses are now using business links in the north-west each week. The figures for the final quarter are based on returns from business link partnerships in the north-west that were open before February 1996.
Mrs. Roche: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what distance he has defined as being within easy reach of a local business link outlet. [34064]
Mr. Page: No distance has been defined as most day-to-day contact with customers is likely to be over the telephone, by fax or on the premises of the business concerned. The number and location of business link outlets in each area has been determined by the local partners--TECs, chambers of commerce, local authorities, enterprise agencies and others--on the basis of their view of local needs.
Inward Investment
Mrs. Jane Kennedy: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list for 1979 and for each year since 1990 the value of inward investment as a proportion of regional gross domestic product for (a) Merseyside and (b) each region of the United Kingdom. [34505]
Mr. Oppenheim: Data on the value of inward investment are not collected on a regional basis.
25 Jun 1996 : Column: 59
EU Postal Services
Dr. Howells: To ask the President of the Board of Trade which Minister will attend the meeting of European Ministers on 27 June to discuss the EC draft directive and notice on postal services. [34349]
Mr. Oppenheim: The Under-Secretary of State for Science and Technology, my hon. Friend the Member for Esher (Mr. Taylor).
Post Office
Mr. Riddick: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the external financing limit for the Post Office for 1996-97. [34665]
Mr. Lang: The negative external financing limit for the Post Office for 1996-97 has been reduced from £298 million to £268 million. This reflects the fact that the Post Office over-achieved its EFL for 1996-96 by £32 million; in accordance with the arrangements previously announced, an over-achievement of up to £30 million of one year's EFL is matched by a corresponding reduction in the following year's figure.
Manchester Bombing
Ms Lynne: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what (a) guidance and (b) financial assistance his Department proposes to offer to small businesses affected by the bombing of the Arndale shopping centre in Manchester on 15 June; and if he will make a statement. [33923]
Mr. John M. Taylor: Small businesses affected by the bombing of Manchester's city centre are being given guidance by Manchester business link, which is working with the chamber of commerce to provide a one-stop shop. This will enable problems to be identified and tackled so as to get businesses back to work with the minimum of delay.
The Government-backed terrorism insurance scheme will ensure that participating insurers can meet the claims made on them by those who have purchased full terrorism cover. Businesses that have not done so are likely to have a limit on the reimbursement that they can receive and have been advised to contact their insurance companies to clarify the situation. Those who have decided not to purchase full cover will have to bear any loss above the limit.
My hon. Friend the Minister of State for Social Security, the sponsor Minister for Manchester, has already held discussions with representatives from the local community to consider the task of recovery and I understand that he will continue to do so.
Mrs. Roche:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish (a) the percentage of bills paid on time by each Government Department in 1995-96 and (b) the amount of money represented by the percentage of bills paid late by each Government Department in 1995-96. [34061]
25 Jun 1996 : Column: 60
Mr. Page:
(a) I refer the hon. Member to the replies that I gave on 15 May, Official Report, column 459 and on 22 May, Official Report, column 273 on this matter.
(b) The information requested is not available centrally.
Mrs. Roche:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 13 June, Official Report, column 270, if he will list the business surveys to which he referred regarding business (a) demand, (b) optimism and (c) output among small and medium manufacturing companies. [34059]
Mr. Oppenheim:
The business surveys referred to in my answer of 13 June were the Confederation of British Industry "Small and Medium Enterprise Trends Report" of April 1996, the British chambers of commerce quarterly economic survey of April 1996 and the Institute of Directors business opinion survey of March 1996.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade how long the victims of BCCI have been waiting for compensation from the liquidators. [34512]
Mr. Oppenheim:
The provisional liquidation of BCCI SA in England commenced on 5 July 1991. The liquidation of BCCI SA in England commenced on 14 January 1992.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the expected percentage payment on the first dividend to the creditors of BCCI. [34562]
Mr. Oppenheim:
The liquidators hope that the first dividend will be at least 20 per cent., but ultimately the dividend is a matter for the Luxembourg liquidators and the liquidators of BCCI overseas. Both the timing and the value of the dividend are subject to matters which are before the courts in England, Luxembourg and the Cayman Islands.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects the payment of a first dividend to the victims of BCCI. [34560]
Mr. Oppenheim:
The joint liquidators hope that payment of a first dividend will be made in the autumn of 1996.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the reasons for the time taken to resolve the conflicting laws of set-off between the jurisdictions of Luxembourg and English law. [34513]
Mr. Oppenheim:
None. These are matters for the joint liquidators.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make the solicitors currently in receipt of fees as a result of the liquidation of BCCI and the amounts that each has received. [34558]
Mr. Oppenheim:
This is a matter for the joint liquidators and the information is not held by my Department.
25 Jun 1996 : Column: 61
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he last (a) met the liquidators of BCCI and (b) received a statement from the liquidators of BCCI. [34515]
Mr. Oppenheim:
(a) My officials last met the joint liquidators on 31 March 1995.
(b) Three reports have been made available to the Secretary of State under regulation 12--latterly regulation 14--arising from the Insolvency Act. The last report, made up to 14 January 1995, was published on 31 July 1995.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many (a) creditors and (b) former employees are currently awaiting compensation from the liquidators of BCCI. [34561]
Mr. Oppenheim:
My officials are advised that a total of 35,689 claims have been made in the English liquidation of BCCI SA. Included in this total are claims from 1,077 former employees; some of these former employees are net debtors of BCCI.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the total amount of funds held by the liquidators of BCCI. [34559]
Mr. Oppenheim:
My officials are advised that the total amount of funds held by the English liquidators at 15 May 1996 was US$668 million. In addition, the English liquidators have a share in funds held jointly by the liquidators of the principal BCCI estates totalling US$2.2 billion at 15 May 1996.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what are the current total fees paid to (a) the liquidators of BCCI, Touche Ross and (b) the solicitors of BCCI, Lovell White Durrant. [34557]
Mr. Oppenheim:
My officials are advised that:
(a) The total fees drawn by the English liquidators for the period 5 July 1991 to 15 January 1996 amount to US$203.6 million.
(b) The total legal fees paid by the English liquidators to all legal advisers, including Messrs Lovell White Durrant, for the period 5 July 1991 to 15 January 1996 amount to US$82 million.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade when the liquidators indicated to him the difficulties in the conflict of laws of set-off. [34514]
Mr. Oppenheim:
These are matters for the joint liquidators. The pooling agreement authorised by the English court in June 1992 expressly reserved the right of the English court to make provisions before transmitting funds to Luxembourg. My officials are advised, however, that the issues affecting these provisions could not be addressed until the claims admission process was sufficiently advanced.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to assist the liquidators of BCCI to reach an agreement with the Luxembourg liquidators.[34563]
Mr. Oppenheim:
Any such agreement is a matter for the joint liquidators.
25 Jun 1996 : Column: 62
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |