HC Deb 29 June 1998 vol 315 c50W
Mr. Gordon Prentice

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many copies were made of the DTI inspectors' report into the conduct of Lord Archer of Weston-super-Mare in respect of share dealing; and if she will list the holders and locations of these copies. [47603]

Mr. Nigel Griffiths

The inspectors appointed to investigate dealings in the shares of Anglia Television Group Plc delivered 20 copies of the report to the Secretary of State in July 1994. No further copies have been made in the Department. All 20 copies are still held within the Department, other than copies disclosed to the Stock Exchange and the Securities and Futures Authority.

Mr. Gordon Prentice

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many persons were interviewed by her Department's inspectors in connection with the investigation into the conduct of Lord Archer of Weston-Super-Mare in respect of share dealing. [47703]

Mr. Nigel Griffiths

The inspectors conducted formal interviews with 22 witnesses in the course of their investigation in 1994 into dealings in the shares of Anglia Television Group Plc. Not all these interviews related to Lord Archer of Weston-Super-Mare.

Mr. Gordon Prentice

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will publish the DTI inspectors' report into the conduct of Lord Archer of Weston-super-Mare in respect of share dealing. [47602]

Mr. Nigel Griffiths

Reports of insider dealing inspections are not published. There are strict legal restraints on disclosure of information obtained in such inspections.

Mr. Gordon Prentice

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many hours were spent by her inspectors in the investigation into the conduct of Lord Archer of Weston-Super-Mare in respect of share dealing. [47867]

Mr. Nigel Griffiths

The information is not held in this form. As mentioned in an earlier answer, two independent inspectors were appointed under S.177 of the Financial Services Act 1986 to investigate dealings in the securities of Anglia Television Group Plc between 10 January and 21 January 1994. Their fees and disbursements amounted to about £215,000 (including VAT).

The investigation dealt with a wider range of matters than Lord Archer's dealing and accordingly the amount related thereto is not separately calculable.