HC Deb 27 October 1994 vol 248 c786W
Mr. Harvey

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the persons from whom he received advice before deciding to take no further action regarding the report into alleged insider dealing involving Lord Archer of Weston-super-Mare.

Mr. Heseltine

It is not my Department's practice to disclose details of individuals from whom legal advice is obtained. Both the advice and its source is regarded as confidential.

Mr. Harvey

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the(a) budgeted and (b) total cost of the inquiry into the allegations of insider trading involving Lord Archer of Weston-super-Mare.

Mr. Heseltine

The total cost—including inspectors' fees, disbursements and VAT—of the investigation into alleged insider dealing in the shares of Anglia Television Group plc was £213,767. Individual inquiries are not subject to separate budgets.