§ 48. Mr. Douglasasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the financial institutions which have given him advice on the methods to be adopted in disposing of assets held by Her Majesty's Government in joint stock companies.
§ Mr. John DaviesI have asked three merchant banks for advice in this connection—Rothschild, Schroder Wagg and Guinness Mahon.
Following is the information
(1) N. M. Rothschild & Sons (and Guinness, Mahon & Co., where Rothschild has been faced with a possible conflict of interest) have been asked for advice about the most appropriate means of disposing of holdings by the former Industrial Reorganisation Corporation in joint stock companies;(2) J. Henry Schroder, Wagg & Co. have been asked for advice on the best method of securing at the earliest practicable date the maximum contributions by private interests to the future financing of British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. (subject to the retention of majority shareholdings by the Government); and(3) N. M. Rothschild & Sons have been asked for similar advice in connection with the future financing of The Radiochemical Centre Ltd.