§ Mr. Gouldasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will make a statement on the extent and nature of the Export Credits Guarantee Department's involvement in the circumstances which led to the failure of Ultraleisure and to the current imprisonment of one of the directors of that company;
(2) if, in offering cover for the export orders for sports facilities, secured by Ultraleisure in 1981, the Export Credits Guarantee Department's insistence that Ultraleisure should enter into a corporate association with its Danish clients was a normal feature of Export Credits Guarantee Department's policy at that time; and if he will make a statement;
450W(3) if the Export Credits Guarantee Department's advice in 1985 that a lower rate of interest than that permitted by European Economic Community rules could be offered to Ultraleisure if a Swiss company were set up to act as a front organisation was a feature of the advice the Export Credits Guarantee Department offered to exporters generally at that time; and if he will make a statement;
(4) if the advice tendered by the Export Credits Guarantee Department to Ultraleisure in 1981 has ever been the subject of any inquiry; if the 8½ per cent. interest rate offered at that time to Ultraleisure was a commercial rate in accordance with European Economic Community rules; if the Export Credits Guarantee Department's action in registering charges on the assets of Ultraleisure's Danish client companies without Ultraleisure's knowledge represented normal Export Credits Guarantee Department's policy at that time; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ChannonI understand that the police are investigating certain aspects of the affairs of this company. which is in liquidation. The Export Credits Guarantee Department is co-operating with this investigation as necessary. I would not be right for me to comment further on the matter in these circumstances.