§ Mr. JamiesonTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what financial assistance, including loan guarantees, has been given by his Department since 1980 to South West Leisure Products Ltd. by(a) type of assistance and (b) date, including month. [24647]
§ Mr. Oppenheim[holding answer 16 April 1996]: I refer the hon. Gentleman to my answer of 29 February 1996, Official Report, column 676, which was however confused by a typographical error in the Official Report.
South West Leisure Products Ltd. received regional selective assistance totalling £23,068 in January and October 1985 and regional development grant totalling £66,900 between 1985 and February 1988.
Two loans to the company were guaranteed under the loan guarantee scheme in August 1986.
§ Mr. JamiesonTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what role was played by (i) Mr. Kenneth Holmes and (ii) Mr. Michael Jordan in the granting of DTI financial assistance to(a) Pan Atlantia (UK) plc, (b) Van Pieters Ltd., (c) Portcurno Management Company Ltd.(d) South West Farm Processors Ltd., (e) ROM-Data Ltd., (f) Dellcourts Ltd. and (g) Character Ceramics Ltd. [22573]
§ Mr. Oppenheim[holding answer 25 March 1996]: Kenneth Holmes, acting as an external accountancy adviser, advised the Department on regional selective assistance applications from Porthcurno Management Company Ltd. and ROM-Data Ltd. Although he did not advise the Department on the offers made to Character Ceramics Ltd. in 1992 and 1993, he did advise on an earlier application from the business when trading as Rodelco China.
The regional selective assistance to South West Farm Processors Ltd. was considered by the South West industrial development board while Kenneth Holmes was 366W the chairman of SWIDB, but before he became an external adviser to the Department. Because of a conflict of interest, Mr. Holmes absented himself from the discussion in March 1990 at which the SWIDB decided to recommend the grant.
Michael Jordan was a member of SWIDB when it considered the application by Porthcurno Management Company Ltd.—although an offer was subsequently made to the company, it went into liquidation without any grant payments being made.
Neither Kenneth Holmes nor Michael Jordan advised the Department on the grants made to Pan Atlantia (UK) Ltd. or Van Pieters plc. No financial assistance was sought by Dellcourts Ltd. under any of the Department's principal regional, enterprise or technology schemes.
§ Mr. JamiesonTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list those employees or others giving advice in any capacity in his Department's south-west regional office who took part in the assessment of(a) the regional selective assistance grant in 1993 and (b) any other financial assistance made to Pendennis Shipyard Ltd. Falmouth since 1985. [21187]
§ Mr. Oppenheim[holding answer 18 March 1996]: Departmental officials principally involved in the assessment of the regional selective assistance grant application in 1993 were John Bowder, then regional director; David Johnson, the deputy regional director; Mike Twomey and Kris Bale, also both of the regional office; and David Reams, economics and statistics division. Kenneth Holmes, an external accountancy adviser, was also involved in the assessment.
The case was also considered by the South West industrial development board.
No other assistance has been paid to Pendennis Shipyard Ltd. under the Department's principal regional, economic or technology schemes during the period mentioned.
§ Mr. JamiesonTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what role Mr. Michael Jordan performed in(a) the granting of the regional selective grants to Pendennis Shipyard Ltd., Falmouth in (i) 1993 and (ii) 1995 and (b) the loan in 1994 to Queensbury International Ltd., Plymouth. [22567]
§ Mr. Oppenheim[holding answer 25 March 1996]In respect of the 1993 grant to Pendennis Shipyard Ltd., I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 22 March 1996,Official Report, column 373. The company received a second tranche of regional selective assistance in 1995, but this was made under the terms of the 1993 offer.
Michael Jordan played no role in the Department's consideration of the 1994 guarantee under the loan guarantee scheme to Queensbury International Ltd.
§ Mr. JamiesonTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what financial assistance has been given by his Department since 1980 to(a) Marine Projects Ltd., (b) the Renwick Group of companies, (c) Brock's Fireplaces Ltd., (d) Vickring Ltd., (e) K. J. Ward Holdings Ltd., (f) Valetare Ltd. and (g) Devon Conversions Ltd. [22571]
367W
§ Mr. Oppenheim[holding answer 25 March 1996]: Two of the companies have received assistance under the Department's principal regional, enterprise and technology schemes since 1980:
Company Scheme Payment £ Year Marine Projects (Plymouth) Ltd. Regional selective assistance (three projects) 910,000 1984–91 Valetare Ltd. Consultancy Initiative 2,379 1993 Under the loan guarantee scheme, a loan to Renwicks Garages 1982 Ltd.—later trading as Vickring Ltd.—was guaranteed in 1982, and a loan to Renwick Computer Services Ltd. was guaranteed in 1984.