§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what information his Department holds on the trading activities of International Signal and Control from 1971 to its purchase by Ferranti in 1987.
§ Mr. Neil HamiltonThe Department does not monitor the commercial operations of international organisations, and the information it holds on the trading activities of International Signal and Control Group plc prior to its purchase by Ferranti plc in 1987 is that generally addressed to Ferranti shareholders in a circular dated 29 September 1989 from the chairman of that company.
Ferranti subsequently provided additional information direct to the Serious Fraud Office, which conducted an investigation into the matters of concern outlined by the company.
§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what communication his Department has had with the office of defence trade control at the United States state department in regard to the collapse of Ferranti.
§ Mr. NeedhamNone.
§ Mr. FatchettTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if his Department took any action to block a bid by Thomson CSF for the Ferranti company.
§ Mr. Neil HamiltonNeither my Department, nor the Office of Fair Trading, was made aware of any proposal by Thomson CSF to bid for Ferranti International.