HC Deb 14 January 1985 vol 71 c17
56. Mr. Winnick

asked the Attorney-General if any public funds have yet been paid to Price Waterhouse in regard to its role as sequestrators of the National Union of Mineworkers' funds.

The Attorney-General

No public funds have been paid to the sequestrators.

Mr. Winnick

Will the Attorney-General bear in mind that all the points made originally by the Opposition when the Government's decision became known remain justified, and that the amount of bias in the decision of the Government, who are acting in a way totally different from the way in which they have acted in any other circumstance, shows only too clearly that the right hon. and learned Gentleman should think about the matter again?

The Attorney-General

I ask the hon. Gentleman to read again the short speech, much interrupted, by my hon. and learned Friend the Solicitor-General when he wound up the debate on 19 December.

Mr. Spencer

Does my right hon. and learned Friend agree that there is a need for the High Court to have a permanent fund available to it for use in sequestration proceedings? Will he discuss with the Lord Chancellor how such a permanent fund might be set up?

The Attorney-General

Certainly, that is one of the matters that has arisen as a result of this quite exceptional action, which is without any precedent, as everybody knows. No doubt I shall have the opportunity to discuss it with the Lord Chancellor.