asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total financial aid given to the Ben Sherman Shirt Company up to 31st December 1975; and if the company is now totally Government-owned and under Government control

Between December 1972, when the Northern Ireland Finance Corporation acquired a majority shareholding in the Ben Sherman Group, and 31st March 1975 the sum invested by the Corporation was just over £3·71 million, including accrued interest.In November 1974 the group informed the Government that it could not continue without further financial help. The Government decided to support the group temporarily through extra-statutory assistance which totalled £375,000.In March 1975 the Department of Commerce acquired a new company, Ben Sherman (1975) Ltd., and sufficient assets and goodwill of the group to continue trading; the former group ceased to trade and is being wound upBetween March and 31st December 1975 the Department made payments totalling £55,140 to creditors of the old group and invested just under £994,000 in the new company in the form of assets, stock, goodwill and working capital.The Department of Commerce is the sole shareholder in Ben Sherman (1975) Ltd.