§ Sir Teddy TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the inquiries initiated by the European Commission on the subsidising by France of the computer group Bull and Company; and what the outcome of the inquiries has been. [128823]
§ Mr. Mike O'Brien[holding answer 10 September 2003]: The European Commission announced on 9 April 2002 that it was launching an investigation into a €450 million cash advance by France to Bull. On 13 November 2002, it authorised the aid and ordered France to submit evidence of the reimbursement by Bull 427W of the advance with interest by 17 June 2003. Copies of the notices appear in the Official Journal of the European Communities, C 128, 30.5.2002 and C 209, 19.8.2003 respectively.