Hinduja Brothers (Hansard, 2 February 2001)

§ Mr. Chope
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on how many occasions and at what locations officials from his Department accompanied the right hon. Member for Hartlepool (Mr. Mandelson) when he was Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to meetings with(a) Mr. Srichand Hinduja and (b) Mr. Gopichand Hinduja. [148004]

§ Mr. Byers
[holding answer 30 January 2001]: I refer the hon. Member to the replies given by my right hon. Friend the Member for Hartlepool (Mr. Mandelson), when he was Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on 3 December 1998, Official Report, column 291W.

§ Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what meetings(a) he and (b) other Ministers in his Department have attended (i) with the Hinduja brothers and (ii) at which matters relating to business interests controlled by the Hinduja brothers were discussed; [148147]
(2) if he will list the meetings in India attended by the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Affairs, the hon. Member for Leicester, East (Mr. Vaz), at which matters relating to the business interests of the Hinduja brothers were discussed. [148140]

§ Miss Widdecombe
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which Ministers and officials in his Department have(a) been contacted by and (b) contacted (i) Mr. G. P. Hinduja and (ii) Mr. S. P. Hinduja since 2 May 1997; if he will list the occasions on which there was such contact; and if he will make a statement. [148079]

§ Mr. Byers
[holding answers 31 January 2001 and 1 February]: Following press speculation, I authorised the Department to issue a statement on 26 January detailing contacts between Department of Trade and Industry Ministers and G. P. and S. P. Hinduja. A copy of this statement has been laid in the Library of the House.
I also refer the right hon. Members to the replies given by my right hon. Friend the Member for Hartlepool (Mr. Mandelson) when he was Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on 3 December 1998, Official Report, column 291W.