HC Deb 02 May 2000 vol 349 c24W
Miss Kirkbride

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer of 14 April 2000,Official Report, column 288W, if discussions on the purchase of Land Rover from BMW by Ford were commercially confidential. [119843]

Mr. Alan Johnson

I made clear in my earlier reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has many contacts with companies including the Ford Motor Company. The issues discussed are often commercially sensitive and the company's requests for confidentiality respected.