To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has (a) to extend his proposals for new employers to obtain redress in respect of training investment by employees' previous employers to situations where companies are purchased by companies owned by foreign governments and (b) to apply the proposals retrospectively.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Maryhill (Mrs. Fyfe) on 14 February 1992 at column 652–53.