§ Mr. David ShawTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will commence an inquiry under the Companies Acts and Financial Services Act into(a) Bishopsgate Investment Management Ltd. and (b) London and Bishopsgate International Investment Management plc;
(2) what steps he is taking to ensure that moneys belonging to (a) Mirror Group pensioners and (b) Maxwell Communication Corporation pensioners are recovered from those Gibraltar-based trusts or companies under the control or influence of the Maxwell family or companies or trusts associated with them;
(3) if he will use his powers under the Companies Acts to wind up on just and equitable grounds (a) Maxwell Communication Corporation plc and (b) Mirror Group Newspapers plc;
(4) if he will use his powers under the Companies Acts to wind up on just and equitable grounds (a) Bishopsgate Investment Management Ltd. and (b) London and Bishopsgate International Investment Management plc;
(5) if he will use his powers under the Financial Services Act to trace and recover moneys belonging to pensioners associated with (a) Mirror Group plc and (b) Maxwell Communication Corporation plc;
(6) if he will list his powers, if he will take steps, under the Companies Acts, the Insolvency Act and the Financial Services Act to secure the assets and businesses of (a) 463W Mirror Group Newspapers plc and (b) Maxwell Communication Corporation plc for the benefit of the pensioners of these companies;
(7) if he will use his powers under the Financial Services Act to trace moneys belonging to (a) Bishopsgate Investment Management Ltd. and (b) London and Bishopsgate International Investment Management plc and their clients.
§ Mr. LilleyThe Serious Fraud Office is conducting an investigation into the Maxwell companies. Action is being taken to secure and recover assets by IMRO, the provisional liquidator, administrators and receivers appointed to a number of Maxwell private companies. I have instructed my officials to maintain the closest consultation with the Serious Fraud Office and IMRO. I will also want to hear from the administrators, receivers and the provisional liquidator if they consider that the exercise of my investigative powers or other action is warranted.
I will not hesitate to use powers available to me to investigate any matter which may emerge from these consultations as requiring separate inquiry or to take any other action, so long as that would not impede the work of the Serious Fraud Office or other action which is being taken.
§ Mr. David ShawTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the directors and the financial period of the most recent accounts to be filed of(a) London and Bishopsgate International Investment Management plc and (b) Bishopsgate Investment Management Ltd.
§ Mr. Lilley(a) There is currently no company registered in England and Wales with the name London and Bishopsgate International Investment Management plc. However, until 19 November 1991 that was the name of the company now known as Maxwell and East European Partners. The directors notified to the Registrar of Companies are:
- Robert Henry Bunn
- Stuart Crosbie Carson
- Jonathan Howard Ford
- Kevin Francis Herbert Maxwell Andrew Porter Smith
- Larry Steven Trachtenberg
The last accounts filed at Companies House are those for the financial year ending 5 April 1990.
§ Mr. DunnTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish in theOfficial Report the names of those who currently hold directorships, or have held directorships since 1985, in companies run, managed or owned by the late Robert Maxwell; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. LilleyThis information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.