§ 16. Mr. Simon Hughesasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the sale of the Land Rover division of British Leyland.
§ Mr. ChannonOn 27 March the BL board asked for proposals for the Land Rover businesses to be submitted by 15 April. I can now confirm that BL received proposals yesterday from Lonrho, in respect of Land Rover and Range Rover; J. C. Bamford, in respect of Land Rover, Range Rover and possibly Freight Rover; Schroder Ventures (acting for a management and institutional consortium), in respect of Land Rover, Range Rover and Freight Rover; and Aveling Barford, in respect of Land Rover and Range Rover.
In order to clarify details of these proposals, BL intends to hold further discussions as necessary with the prospective purchasers. The proposals will then be fully considered by the BL board on their relative merits and in the light of the consequences for the BL Group as a whole. A recommendation will then be made to the Government as soon as possible as to whether one of these proposals or some other course should be pursued.