THE BRITISH Serious Fraud Office (SFO) will take only 20 days to investigate the collapse of car giant MG Rover, so a long-awaited official report into the demise of the motor giant can then be published, the British business secretary said yesterday.
Peter Mandelson told a committee of MPs it would not be “that long” before the investigation, which has caused mounting anger after costing the taxpayer £16 million and taking four years to complete, would be published.
The government was accused yesterday of kicking the report into the long grass after asking the SFO to see if there were “grounds for prosecution”.
The minister told the business select committee the SFO had set up a team of four and would take 20 days to carry out its investigation.
“They will reach a conclusion in 20 days. They will advise me what they want done with the report. I would hope it will be possible to publish it before too long, but I have to be guided by legal advice.”
The department said yesterday it had decided not to publish the Rover report following legal advice and “to ensure any potential prosecution is not prejudiced”.
The Birmingham-based firm collapsed in 2005, which led to the loss of 6,000 jobs at the car maker and many more at affected suppliers and dealers.
– PA