§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) if he will initiate discussions with Governments of countries in which Slater Walker Securities Limited have branches to assess the relationship between those branches and the ones in Great Britain; (2) if he has been informed of the results of the investigation into the financial position of Slater Walker Securities Limited by independent accountants; and if he proposes to seek publication of the results of the investigation; (3) if he will now institute an 68W inquiry into the affairs of Slater Walker Securities Limited; (4) what recent discussions he has had with the chairman of Slater Walker companies based in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Shore,pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 19th March 1976; Vol. 907, c. 666–7], gave the following information:
On 29th October 1975 my hon. Friend explained that inquiries have been instituted by the Governments of Hong Kong and Singapore into the affairs of certain Slater Walker companies in the Far East; and that independent accountants were investigating the financial position of the United Kingdom based companies. As soon as all the accountants' reports are available I will study them and will consider whether any further action by my Department is required. Meanwhile, I am keeping in touch with the inquiries being made overseas. At present I have no information which would justify an inquiry under the Companies Acts.