Thomas Cook

Debate between Grant Shapps and Chris Ruane

Wednesday 25th September 2019 Commons Chamber

[Grant Shapps]

Let me explain so that the House fully understands the situation. This is a private company that was getting on with trying to put together its own rescue deal, which—just to be clear—the British Government would absolutely want it to do. As I said before, why on earth would we want to lose a landmark British company? Of course, we would not want to do so. But it is for the directors of that business properly to organise for its rescue. Had any kind of substantial plan been put to us by the company, or by other interested parties or countries, we would have been very interested in it, but the truth is that no viable plan was put forward.

[Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd) (Lab)]

I thank the Minister for his answers to questions about Thomas Cook workers who work abroad, but they were a little bit woolly, so let me ask him specifically: can he give a cast-iron guarantee that not one of those workers will be left stranded abroad, and that each and every one of them will be paid in full for the hours that they have worked since the company was declared bankrupt?

[Grant Shapps]

I have tried to be as clear as I can about Thomas Cook workers abroad. I have asked the CAA to work on the matter urgently. Obviously the first priority is getting 150,000 people home. In terms of getting the employees home, we are obviously not going to leave people stranded. As regards pay, that is very tightly set out under legislation in an insolvency situation, and that is exactly what will be followed.