Firm wins 34m deal
WESTLAND Engineering, a subsidiary of Westland Helicopters in Yeovil, has won a deal worth 34m.
It won the contract to build the power take-off gearbox for the BMW Rolls-Royce BR700 series aircraft engines against strong competition.
Delivery of the first prototype gearboxes will start early next year.
Call for fresh probe into firm Beggs accuses Dail of inaction
AN Ulster MP today accused the Dail of deliberately refusing to investigate a firm which lost millions of pounds belonging to Northern Ireland people.
Almost 1,000 of the province's investors lost their life savings when Gibraltar-registered company International Investments Ltd went bust in 1984, leaving debts of 7m.
The Gibraltar authorities have provided information to the RUC, who have an arrest warrant out on company head Cork-born George Finbarr Ross, now believed to be living in Dallas, Texas.
But politicians north and south of the border are calling for the Republic's Government to start a High Court inquiry into Ross' alleged links with firms in Eire.
The Irish Government says the 10-year-old scandal has already been fully investigated by the Garda and, unless new evidence is produced, it is now a matter for the Gibraltar authorities.
But, East Antrim MP Roy Beggs, says he believes the Irish Government do not want to investigate because the case could embarrass senior political figures.
' They have no desire to investigate this matter properly because it could prove to have serious ramifications for a number of political parties and senior individuals, ' he claimed.
' I will not back any political talks with the South until I have evidence of genuine goodwill over the International Investments affair.
' If they had investigated thoroughly at the time they might not only have been able to identify other elements of the fraud but also help secure some of the lost assets. '
Mr Beggs said a number of Southern politicians support his demands for an inquiry and he hoped the issue would be raised when the Dail resumes again in October.
' Some of the TDs can not ignore the situation and it is going to become more and more difficult for Enterprise and Employment Minister Ruairi Quinn to avoid appointing a High Court inspector. '
Democratic Left MEP, Des Geraghty, says he will petition the European Parliament to make the Eire Government act.
Mr Beggs said the hearing in Gibraltar which is to re-open in October could result in a move to extradite Ross from the United States if there is sufficient evidence.
' He could stand trial in Gibraltar but I would imagine the RUC would wish to interview him. '
TYNESIDE
New blow for shipyard
THE dying Swan Hunter shipyard has been dealt another crushing blow with its failure to win a key 50m order.
Oman is placing an order for three patrol craft with French shipbuilders after weeks of waiting in the hope that a buyer might be found for the Tyneside yard.
Swan was the favourite to secure the lucrative contract until the yard was placed in receivership in May.
Shopping is the antidote to economic doom and gloom, claims survey Families' spending way out of slump '
FAMILIES are ignoring wage-freezes and trying to spend their way out of the slump.
Faced with economic doom and gloom, the average householder simply goes to the shops, according to a survey today.
The result is a bucking of current trends with the growth in spending outstripping rises in income for the first time in three years.
New statistics show average incomes rose from 338 to 343 a week (1.4pc after inflation) while average spending increased to 272 from 257 a week (5.8pc or 2.3pc after inflation).
Contrast
These statistics are in stark contrast to those for the previous year, 1991, when families tightened their belts despite having more in their pay packets.
However, the figures also show families are relying less on traditional wage-packets as a source of income and more on social-security benefits.
The figures are revealed in Family Spending, an annual survey of more than 7,000 households published by the Central Statistical Office.
About 5.5 million public-sector employees have had a 1.5pc ceiling imposed on pay awards by the Government, but it is thought lower interest-rates may have encouraged people to spend.
On average, 65pc of a household's income is from wages and salaries, compared with 74pc in 1965, the survey shows.
In contrast, investment income has risen to 6pc from 3.5pc, and social-security benefits have risen to 13pc from 8pc.
A spending breakdown shows the average household spends 47.70 on food, 47.40 on housing and 42.90 on transport.
A further 13 a week goes on fuel.
Nevertheless, families still manage to set aside 40.90 a week for leisure goods and services.
The top 20pc of households receive an income (786) 10 times greater than the poorest 20pc, which lives off 73 a week, with the richest 20pc spending 165.30 a person more than twice as much as the poorest 20pc, who spend 62.50 per person.
The highest earners (800 a week-plus) are spending 93.20 a week on motoring, 15 times more than the lowest earners (less than 60), who spend 6.10 a week.
The report shows a typical family of a man, a woman and two children spends an average of 372 a week.
One in three of these families has two cars.
However, only one in nine households is' typical ', most consisting of just a man and a woman.
One in four households is retired.
Nearly two-thirds of households are owner-occupiers.
Ulster folk hold on to holiday cash
FAMILIES in Northern Ireland spend least on holidays, while men in the south-west of England make their underwear last longer and the Welsh love their cuppa.
East Anglians are the greatest pet-lovers, and the Scots spend most on tobacco, according to the survey, which shows: Weekly spending on domestic help is lowest in the north of England at 58p and highest in East Anglia at 5.20 against the UK average of 2.
Scots spend 7.40 a week on tobacco, more than 50pc more than the lowest region, the south-east of England, which spends just 4.50.
Men in the south-west of England spend just 27p a week on new underwear, compared with top-spending Londoners and men in the north of England, who spend 49p and 46p respectively.
Households in Northern Ireland spent just 5 a week on hotels and holidays, less than half the UK average of 11.
Pets are pampered in East Anglia, where families splash out 4.20 on their animals, compared with just 1.61 in the north of England and a UK average of 2.10.
Households in Wales spend most on tea, at 66p a week, 10p a week more than Scotland and the west Midlands and 7p more than the UK average.
10pc have satellite or cable
TV ALMOST one in 10 homes has a satellite dish or cable TV.
Both have taken off, with ownership increasing by 50pc between 1991 and 1992.
Home computers can also be found in one in five households, compared with just one in eight seven years ago.
Video
Seven out of 10 homes, including more than one in four households with incomes under 60 a week, now own a video recorder a 5pc rise on the previous year.
Car ownership has slowed, with 67.6pc of people owning a vehicle, compared with 67.8pc in 1991.
In 1981, the figure was 61.8pc.
More than 88pc of homes have a telephone, up from 75pc in 1982.
Almost no houses were without televisions and fridges.
The banks and their charges
RECENT reports and letters about bank charges make it important to restate the General Consumer Council's views and to put the record straight about my own comments.
In its evidence to an official inquiry five years ago, the Council said that the odds were overwhelmingly in favour of the banks rather than the customer.
We called for a code of practice to be given the force of law.
On Friday, August 13, I was asked by your reporter to respond to criticism of banks by the Consumers' Association.
I did not say that people were ' fed up with banks digging into their accounts without notice to extract charges' nor did I ' slam ' the banks.
I did say that banks and building societies with current account customers were in a special position because they can deduct money directly from our accounts.
This is why prior information about charges is so important.
I also said that banks were not sufficiently up-front about their charges and made some suggestions for changes, such as displaying a poster in each branch and printing details on statements.
The Council hopes the banks will recognise the concerns of their customers and become more open about charges.
This will lead to greater customer satisfaction and be to everyone's benefit.
MAEVE BELL Director, General Consumer Council for Northern Ireland.
Lagan sludge
A NUMBER of weeks ago Lower Ormeau Residents' Action Group raised the issue of the dredging of the River Lagan with those responsible  the Laganside Corporation, the DoE Water Service and the contractors.
At a frank meeting with the above, at which this community's concerns were forcefully put, it was agreed that work would halt during our community festival and that the area would be cleaned up for the festival.
To the contractors credit this was done.
However, during the course of a television interview a Laganside spokesman informed the public that there was no cause for concern as the mud and filth being dredged from the Lagan was being carefully loaded into ' sealed lorries' which were then washed before being driven away.
A number of points arise from this statement about ' sealed lorries'.
Either the Laganside spokesperson understands' sealed ' to mean something completely different from the rest of us.
Maybe he had never actually seen the operation he was describing.
Whatever the reason, I think we need to know, because, by any definition, the lorries being used are certainly not sealed.
This will be easily demonstrated by watching one of these lorries trundling down the Ormeau Road and through the centre of town.
If the spokesman risks this hazardous operation, he should stand well back from the edge of the pavement or risk being splashed by the mud and water spilling from these ' sealed lorries. '
Should you happen to be driving in the vicinity of one of these ' sealed lorries' extreme caution is advised as a number of motorists have found to their cost, sometimes the spills are more substantial.
I would advise the Laganside spokesman to check his facts and stop treating the people of the Lower Ormeau and Belfast like idiots.
Meals out eat up 20pc of nation's food bill
WHILE home cooking is still the norm, almost a fifth of the money spent on eating is for food bought away from home.
Of the average family's 47.66 food bill, 9.52 is spent outside.
More is still spent on meat than other foods 8, and of this 3.55 goes on chicken.
Fruit
Other items include 6.96 on fruit and vegetables; 6.01 on butter, margarine, lard, milk, cheese and eggs; 5.42 on bread, flour, biscuits and cereals; 2.57 on tea, coffee and other soft drinks; 1.73 on fish or fish and chips and 36p on ice-cream.
A further 1.98 is spent on sweets, chocolates, jams, honey and sugar.
London
The survey also shows families in London and the south-east of England spend more on food than the rest of the country, forking out 51.55 a week.
Fish and chips are most popular in Yorkshire and Humberside and Northern English homes spend less on fruit than the rest of the country.
' PRIVATE companies should not be making profits out of state punishment.
It is a morally repugnant ethic '  Joan Ruddock, shadow prisons minister.
' I JUST potter and have a chat to people passing by.
It is a wonderful waste of time '  Jane Ashdown, who with husband, Liberal Democrat leader Paddy, won best front garden award in their Somerset village.
' NOW Arthur sends his Eagle to Shaftesbury to share with all the world a Message shaped by the Way of Healing experienced in Avalon and glorified by the Grace of Gaia's planetary heart '  Passage from new book, Spheres of Destiny, The Shaftesbury Prophecy, by Robert Coon, which concludes that Shaftesbury is the energy centre of the Earth.
' WHEN British Rail was just British Rail it was a joke like mothers-in-law and piles.
Now it is' threatened ' with privatisation it has suddenly blossomed into a loved institution bordering on heritage '  The Duchess of Devonshire.
' A GOOD review can damage your performance as much as a bad one.
If <w type="PNP"
lemma="you">you read <w type="CJT"
lemma="that">that the way you picked up a wine glass was magical, then you can never do that again unself-consciously '  Actress Anna Massey.
' THE hypocrisy of those in the public eye should not be hidden from view, or protected by judges or ill-conceived legislation '  Ann Clwyd, shadow national heritage secretary, attacking any bid by the Government to introduce new curbs on the press.
Dashing in for profits
PROFIT takers dominated in early trading, sending the FTSE diving by nearly nine points.
But sentiment recovered quickly and after the first hour's dealing it clawed back its losses to stand up just 0.1 at 3072.7.
Pearson, the media group whose interests span The Financial Times to Madame Tussauds, was heavily in demand as half-year profits were considerably higher than the City had been expecting.
The shares pushed ahead 8p to 520p.
The drugs groups, which stormed ahead yesterday on reports that the US administration has decided to urge the industry to curb prices voluntarily instead of imposing compulsory controls, were also victims of profit taking.
Glaxo lost 4p to 632p, Zeneca dipped 2p to 759p, SmithKline Beecham went a penny easier to 457p although Wellcome escaped by firming a penny to 756p.
BAT Industries firmed 4p to 454p, GrandMet edged 2p better to 447p, Allied-Lyons climbed 4p to 614p although Rothmans International lost 4p to 693p.
Dairy and food group Unigate benefited from the sale of two of its non-core businesses to Dalgety.
Unigate jumped 9p to 403p while Dalgety firmed 4p to 517p on the news.
Money talks
A WEEK is a long time in football, isn't it?
Raymond Campbell's reasons for joining Linfield as laid out in the Sunday Life are a new challenge, best Stadium, more success, professional approach, 20,000 signing on fee  OOPS!
That wasn't one of his reasons for joining, was it?
Certainly not our Raymond, it's the challenge he is after.
Then surprise, surprise...
Monday's Telegraph tells us he can't agree personal terms with the keepers of the Shrine (dear oh dear, I 'm beginning to sound like Denis O'Hara).
It seems to me, gone are the days when Glentoran and Linfield players are just happy with pulling on the shirt.
Yes THAT'S it!
It's not the money that's holding things up, it's that awful new kit  of course any fashion conscious young man like Raymond wouldn't be caught in that rig and there was me thinking he was just a low down money grabber.
It just shows how wrong you can be.
Enlightened Glenman Let's just see how much money Glentoran ' grab ' from Linfield for Cambell, a player they got for nothing.
Greetings from a family business
THE greeting cards, gift wrap and stationery people T&amp;A Thompson Cards have come a long way since it all began for them in a garage about 15 years ago  they have just opened a superb new outlet in the Ravenhill Business Park.
The business was started by Ann Thompson three years ago.
Customers
Her husband Trevor and son Andrew are also involved in the concern and happily the firm has retained many of its original customers.
T&amp;A Thompson Cards operates throughout Ireland, and their cash and carry operation has two fully equipped walk-through vans making regular monthly country-wide journeys.
Orders
' Orders can be either phoned or faxed in to us and delivered within 24 hours, ' Trevor Thompson emphasised.
' Our policy has always been to look after our customers, not alone supplying them with greeting cards, but also providing them with the back-up services, such as merchandising, advertising material and general advice on how to lay out an effective display, ' he added.
Friendly
' As a family run business we like to maintain a friendly atmosphere and we even offer our customers some refreshment on arrival.
This allows them to choose merchandise in comfort and in relaxed and friendly surroundings. '
The business has begun preparations for the Christmas season  with a festive show planned for this week.
It's family business!
LIKE father like son  Three-year-old Darren Robinson takes a building lesson from his dad David.
As well as being director of the Ideal Home Exhibition Mr Robinson has created this year's showhouse on the theme ' Next Generation  Building for the Future '.
The 1993 exhibition opens on Tuesday through to Friday, from 2C10pm, and on Saturday from 2C8pm.
Customs to probe VAT fraud claim
By JOHN CASSIDY
A MAJOR investigation has been launched in Ulster into a team of businessmen allegedly behind a carpet and furniture VAT scam.
The Customs probe stems from an on-going RUC inquiry into the businessmen's involvement in alleged cheque fraud.
Sunday Life has learned that detectives had received a number of complaints against the businessmen after cheques bounced at banks.
Fiddle
But as the inquiry deepened, detectives suspected the men were involved in a major VAT fiddle.
Security sources revealed that the businessmen deal in cheap furniture and carpets bought from Pakistani wholesalers in England.
It is understood the goods are bought in Europe and brought to Northern Ireland in articulated lorries.
The businessmen then trade their wares, which also include pictures and antiques, at makeshift auctions set up around the province.
Said a security source: ' They claim their company is in liquidation and needs to clear debts owed to the Inland Revenue and HM Customs and Excise.
' We had received a number of complaints about bouncing cheques and made a few inquiries into the businessmen and their activities.
Dodging
' We suspected that they were dodging VAT and we have since alerted Customs investigators. '
It is understood Customs are checking for adverts placed in newspapers by the businessmen to promote their auctions.
The security source added: ' Customs are checking to see if these men are in fact registered for VAT. '
Wheeler is loser in Lloyds crisis Ulster minister's cash crash
THE MINISTER charged with looking after Ulster's financial affairs has been a loser in an insurance market crash.
Sir John Wheeler, the 53-year-old MP for Westminster North, is one of the ' names' facing personal losses of thousand of pounds after the market plunged into the red, it has been revealed.
Office
In June Sir John was appointed Security Minister with responsibility for law and order, finance and information services after Michael Mates resigned over the Asil Nadir affair.
It was his first Government office in his 14-year House of Commons career.
Sir John is the fourth minister to have served in Northern Ireland affected by the market crash.
The others were former Secretary of State Peter Brooke now Heritage Secretary, former Industry Minister Peter Vigger and former Economy Minister Richard Needham.
Prime Minister John Major believed he was the right man for the job as he was a former assistant prison governor at Wandsworth and Brixton jails and was chairman of the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee.
Sunday Life contacted the Northern Ireland Office and asked if Sir John he would comment on his personal financial losses.
' I don't think he would want to discuss his private financial arrangements with a newspaper, ' a Stormont spokesman said.
In May Lloyds announced a salvage operation to protect the ' names' who lost money in the crash.
Companies were invited to invest in the market it is considering a ' modest ' contribution to help bail out those affected.
Among the ' names' were well-known Ulster personalities John McGuckian, the UTV chairman who lost up to 200,000.
