HC Deb 20 February 1997 vol 290 cc680-1W
Mr. McLeish

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what discussions his Department held with(a) Crombie Mills of Aberdeen and (b) Illingworth Morris between 1988 and 1993; [15812]

(2) what discussions (a) he and (b) his Department held with Mr. Alan Lewis about (i) Illingworth Morris and (ii) Crombie Mills of Aberdeen in the period 1988 to 1993. [15811]

Mr. Kynoch

[holding answer 17 February 1997]: The Department's records indicate that my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade, then Minister of State for Industry at the Scottish Office, met Mr. Lewis on 7 July 1988 to discuss industry matters. Subsequently on 5 September 1989 he visited J. and J. Crombie, Grandholm Mills, Aberdeen.

The Department's records also indicate a discussion between an official of the Department and a representative of J. and J. Crombie on or around 3 June 1991, to establish information about the closure of Grandholm Mills, which had just been announced.

Mr. McLeish

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what financial assistance was provided from public funds to(a) Crombie Mills of Aberdeen and (b) Illingworth Morris between 1988 and 1993. [15813]

Mr. Kynoch

[holding answer 17 February 1997]: None.