Ashworth And Hoyle Footwear

EDM number 1191 in 1989-90, proposed by DN Campbell-Savours on 27/06/1990.

That this House notes that Ashworth and Hoyle Footwear of Haslingden owned by Mr Alan Arnold is now in the hands of receivers; notes that, as with Millers Footwear of Cockermouth, the company was purchased following a series of property transactions; notes that, prior to purchasing Ashworth and Hoyle, Arnold sold the factory buildings to Togtol Ltd. and that they were later sold again to Dury Ltd., giving the Dury family effective ownership of the buildings; notes the Dury family were also party to restructuring the pension arrangements; questions to what extent the trustees of the pension fund were involved in this restructuring; notes that when Ashworth and Hoyle was purchased by Alan Arnold the remaining manufacturing business was renamed Steptrans Ltd. and then subsequently changed again to Ashworth and Hoyle Footwear; notes that a ú37,000 cheque, drawn on an Arnold personal account in Bristol, was paid to Ashworth and Hoyle and that this cheque related in some way to a Jersey-based company; notes that invoices sent to Millers of Cockermouth have been questioned; further questions the relationhip between Strategic Corporate Management, Ashworth and Hoyle, Steptrans, Arlandi Investments, Togtol, Georgio Martinelli and Computers Ltd.; believes the people of Rossendale, who have always had a special place in the heart of the honourable Member for Workington, should question how a Jersey resident with a Doncaster home came to Rossendale, to strip the heart out of a company which has given so much the the valley; and calls upon the Department of Trade and Industry for a full inquiry.

This motion has been signed by a total of 2 MPs.