Paradise Golf Resort, Morocco

Steve McCabe Excerpts

Wednesday 17th January 2018 Commons Chamber

[Steve McCabe (Birmingham, Selly Oak) (Lab)]

I am pleased to have an opportunity to make a contribution, and I am grateful to the right hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington (Tom Brake) for securing tonight’s debate. We have been trying to obtain this debate for some time now.

This is a simple case of injustice affecting British citizens. We are talking about at least 200 people in the core group and perhaps a number of others spread across several constituencies, as we have heard. Indeed, I understand that you, Madam Deputy Speaker, take a keen interest in this matter yourself. Many of these people are retired, having given a lifetime of service to this country, and had hoped to secure part of their retirement funds by buying apartments that they could both enjoy in their retirement and perhaps realise a little extra income from through occasional lets. Many are retired doctors and nurses, and quite a number are former public sector workers. They have been battling on their own to secure these apartments or get their money back for about 11 years now. Some have died without seeing the situation resolved.

We are not talking about fantastically wealthy people. These people were attracted to the investment because of the security that it appeared to offer. As the right hon. Gentleman said, it was sold as part of the King of Morocco’s vision to attract tourism and investment. The land was Government land, the Moroccan Government selected the developer, and the various conventions that had to be signed in order for the development to proceed were signed by Government officials. Banque Centrale Populaire, which handled the financial transactions, was part Government-owned. Articles in the British press described this as a project backed by the Moroccan Government, and, as we heard, Moroccan officials even cited the development at a 2008 meeting in Paris to discuss the short and medium-term priority environmental action programme. Given all that backing, it is hard to imagine a safer investment.

One of the victims is my constituent Dr Saleem, a retired GP who has devoted his life to helping others, both here and in the developing world. He has already been the victim of a fraud over Tangiers City Apartments, which now appears to have involved some of the same people associated with Sirocco Estates and the Urbamed development company. He invested in the Atlantic Paradise golf and beach resort because he believed that it had the backing of the Government and the King of Morocco. He thought that his money was safe. Dr Saleem is in poor health. He may not live to enjoy the property if it is ever completed, but naturally what concerns him now is how he will provide for his wife and family should anything happen to him. It simply is not good enough for the same people to be involved in scams and dubious property transactions, and for the Moroccan authorities to try to wash their hands of the situation.

I am realistic, and I know that it is not within the gift of the Minister to resolve this matter. However, there are things that the British Government could do that would be appreciated by the people concerned. They could apply all possible pressure to the Moroccan authorities, making it clear that they must accept their responsibilities in relation to our citizens. I think that if something like this happened in our country, it would be inconceivable for us to allow the Government to simply walk away. The Moroccan authorities still have time to intervene and instruct another developer to complete the project, or secure compensation for our constituents, but they must be made to feel the maximum pressure.

Following this debate, investors will want to hear from the Minister that they have the full support of the British Government. All conceivable efforts must be made to help the Moroccan authorities to understand that there is a clear expectation on our part that they should bring this matter to a satisfactory and speedy conclusion, and that while it remains outstanding, there can be little prospect of British backing for future investment in Morocco or support for its tourism industry.

As the right hon. Gentleman said, the core group representing the investors has secured a meeting on 30 January before Judge Mustapha Fezzazi at the Cour d’appel in Tangiers. Will the Minister ensure that one of our consulate representatives in Morocco accompanies the group to the meeting, and demonstrates that it has the full support of the British government?