HC Deb 03 December 1973 vol 865 cc299-301W
Mr. Arthur Lewis

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who invited the Saudi Arabian Minister for Oil, Mr. Zaki Yamani, to cent. of the equity plus six additional shares.

Mr. George Cunningham

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will state the precise dates on which the Crown Agents have bought any part of the ordinary or other stock of First National Finance Corporation, stating the number of shares bought on each occasion, the nominal value and the price paid.

Lord Balniel

I am advised that the first recorded purchase is 4th April 1967. The further detail requested is considerable and I will write to the hon. Member as soon as it is available.

Mr. George Cunningham

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list all the companies of which Mr. Alan Challis was a director or chairman while he was Director of Finance of the Crown Agents ; which of these were not wholly owned subsidiaries of the Crown Agents ; and what was the Crown Agents' financial interest in each case.

Lord Balniel

Information readily to hand covers only the directorships held at the time of Mr. Challis's resignation. These and the Crown Agents' financial interests therein are as follows :

Great Britain and for what purpose ; who met him at London Airport ; and what cars were supplied, giving both numbers and types.

Lord Balniel

Arab Oil Ministers, meeting in Kuwait on 4th and 5th November, delegated the Algerian Minister of Industry and Energy, M. Belaid Abdes-selam, and the Saudi Arabian Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Sheikh Ahmed Zaki Yamani, to visit Western capital to explain the oil resolutions adopted at their meetings. They were met at London Airport by Sir David Scott-Fox, representing my right hon. Friend.

One official car—Ford Granada Estate—was provided for the use of Sir David Scott-Fox and a Foreign and Commonwealth Office official who accompanied him. Transport for Sheikh Yamani was provided by the Saudi Arabian Embassy.