Statement by Mr Patrick Ferreira to the
Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards
1. My name is Patrick Ferreira of 43 Rue du
Magistrat, 1050 Brussels.
2. Over the past 10 years, I have worked for
Ian Greer Associates, commencing my employment in London, as
a researcher and working up the ladder to eventually become the
Managing Director of IGA (Europe) in 1993, based in Brussels.
In 1995, I was appointed Managing Director of IGA International,
a position I held until the company went into liquidation earlier
this year.
3. From 1986 to 1990, I worked in the Parliamentary
Research Unit of IGA. I subsequently became Head of the Unit.
My responsibilities included drawing the attention of clients
to various press reports concerning their interests, monitoring
the initiatives of Government Departments, attending Debates,
Oral Questions and Committee sessions in both Houses of Parliament.
The Unit was responsible for the daily monitoring of Hansard
- analysing Parliamentary Questions, Adjournment and other debates
and Early Day Motions.
4. Together with my team, I monitored matters
of interest for all of IGA's clients, including that of the House
of Fraser.
5. I recall that in the run-up to the publication
of the Department of Trade and Industry's report on the House
of Fraser take-over by Mohamed Fayed, media and Parliamentary
activity was frantic. Some of this activity was attributable,
I should imagine, to the leaked DTI report, published in The
Observer, in March 1989. Later on in the year however, there
was considerable press speculation as to the date of publication
of the report. As a result, I believe, the 1988-89 Parliamentary
session, saw unprecedented Parliamentary activity in both the
Commons and Lords, compared with previous Parliamentary sessions,
on this issue. There were numerous Oral and Written Questions
tabled and an astonishing number of Early Day Motions. I believe
that there may also have been a number of Points of Order and
interventions in Debates.
6. I recall that during that session of Parliament
a large number of the Early Day Motions were tabled by Mr Dale
Campbell-Savours, MP, relating to various matters, including the
publication of the DTI report, alleged links between Mr Harry
Landy and Mr Michael Howard, Sir Edward du Cann and Lonrho, The
Observer, Colonel Gadaffi, Mr Mark Thatcher, mining companies
owned by Mr Tiny Rowland, the Sultan of Brunei, Dr Mawan, Tornado
contracts, Dassault, Mr Donald Trelford, Mr Khashoggi, the Krupp
arms deal, etc. My Unit was finding it difficult to keep pace
with the different issues that required to be monitored on behalf
of the House of Fraser, anticipating that in the final run-up
to the report, the work-load would increase in intensity. Some
welcome relief was provided by the Summer Recess.
7. The 1989-90 Parliamentary session commenced
relatively quietly insofar as the House of Fraser was concerned.
I recall that about this time, the IGA fee was reduced considerably
because of the delay in the publication of the DTI report and
I recollect that during a review meeting with the company's Chairman,
Mr Ian Greer, I asked if the fee could be renegotiated with the
House of Fraser, in the run-up to the publication of the DTI
report, given the work that my Unit had undertaken before the
Summer Recess and the pressure that I knew would be inevitable.
8. Early in 1990, things began to change. The
DTI report was published and this was followed by a period of
intense Parliamentary activity. The House of Fraser was naturally
concerned (particularly Michael Cole's office) and anxious to
have reports on the situation conveyed to them immediately. I
recall I received a number of telephone calls at home in the
late evening during this period. I believe that it is true to
say that the first quarter of 1990 saw heightened activity in
both Houses of Parliament, by way of Oral and Written Questions
and Early Day Motions. Once again, I believe there were several
Points of Order and Interventions. However, these now took a
different form from that of the previous session: from relatively
pro-Fayed Questions and Motions, I believe that there was more
hostility. Both Oral and Written Questions were tabled asking
for Mr Fayed to be prosecuted by the Director of Public Prosecutions,
for the Harrods banking licence to be revoked, for Mr Fayed to
be prosecuted under the Perjury Act, for Mr Fayed to be deported
etc. In addition, there were Questions tabled on the Sultan of
Brunei's links with Mr Fayed, the DTI inspectors report, Kleinwort
Benson etc.
9. Initially I was asked to only advise Mr Fayed's
office on Parliamentary developments with regard to the House
of Fraser. However, as Parliamentary activity increased before
and following publication of the report, the list grew to include:
Mr Royston Webb, Mrs Ruth MacIntosh, Mr Mark Griffiths, Mr Ali
Fayed and Mr Michael Cole. We kept them informed of all Parliamentary
developments, Debates, media reports, feedback that we were receiving
from Parliamentarians and Government Departments etc. I recall
that we were particularly inundated with calls from Mr Royston
Webb's office and Mr Mark Griffiths. In the summer, as a token
of appreciation for the work undertaken, Mrs Ruth MacIntosh invited
me to the Park Lane office for lunch. It was the only occasion
I had been to Park Lane.
10. My Unit would also keep Mr Greer informed
of political and media activity so that he was in a position
to speak to, brief and advise Mr Fayed and to keep Parliamentarians
abreast of events.
Patrick Ferreira
7 March 1997
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