Summary

  • Get in touch: bizlivepage@bbc.co.uk

  • European markets end lower amid global sell-off

  • Wall Street volatility continues

  • Ex-Carillion boss takes blame for collapse

  • BP profits climb 139%

  • GM earnings hit by tax charge

  1. When did you sell your shares?published at 12:11 Greenwich Mean Time 6 February 2018

    Richard AdamImage source, ParliamentTV

    Former finance director Richard Adam is asked about his shares.

    "They were disposed of on my retirement in accordance with the procedures that the company put in place for everybody," he says.

    One MP snaps back: "So you sold them as soon as you left the company."

  2. Cash was kingpublished at 12:07 Greenwich Mean Time 6 February 2018

    A former procurement worker at Carillion writes in to claim: "Cash was king at Carillion with huge pressure put on all levels of procurement staff to create better cash flow through subcontractors using a range of instruments. Management traded targets ahead of securing and certainty that they would be achieved."

  3. Should Mr Howson have gone sooner?published at 12:00 Greenwich Mean Time 6 February 2018

    Mr Green is asked whether he should have removed Mr Howson as chief executive earlier than he did.

    He says he might have removed him a little earlier, but only by a month or two. Until then Mr Howson had the full confidence of the board, he says.

  4. Three factorspublished at 11:58 Greenwich Mean Time 6 February 2018

    Philip GreenImage source, ParliamentTV

    Mr Green says there were three factors behind Carillion's collapse:

    - the level of debt was too high

    - a small number of contracts went wrong

    - the inability to get short-term financing in January this year

  5. Finance and accountancy departments...published at 11:53 Greenwich Mean Time 6 February 2018

    Another angry former Carillion worker who still works in the industry, writes: “As a Quantity Surveyor in the industry for more than 25 years it has become evident that major construction companies have become the slaves of the finance and accountancy departments.

    "The business model for most construction companies has seen the massive flows of cash used as a resource to speculate with in many different markets with risk and rewards being a secondary consideration to that of personal gain made by senior executives.”

    Do keep your comments coming. Email us at bizlivepage@bbc.co.uk

  6. Surprise collapsepublished at 11:50 Greenwich Mean Time 6 February 2018

    Frank Field notes that everyone appears surprised by the speed of Carillion's collapse.

    "We were all surprised by the extent and speed of deterioration in a small number of contracts between spring and autumn last year, that is true," says Mr Green.

  7. Board 'well informed' of company's assetspublished at 11:44 Greenwich Mean Time 6 February 2018

    Philip GreenImage source, ParliamentTV

    Carillion chairman Philip Green is asked whether the board had a full picture of the company's assets, given that the Official Receiver has struggled to get one.

    "I believe the board was very well informed," he says.

    There was "no reason to believe our [financial] systems weren't fit for purpose", he adds.

  8. 'Felt like a bailiff'published at 11:38 Greenwich Mean Time 6 February 2018

    Former chief executive Richard Howson says of his last months at Carillion...

    Quote Message

    The amount of energy and effort to make sure there is enough cashflow each month is extraordinary. I felt like a bailiff just to try and collect cash

  9. 'Huge pressure'published at 11:35 Greenwich Mean Time 6 February 2018

    Reader Mike Lee gets in touch with some views about Carillion and the parliamentary committee. He claims: "Huge pressure was put on contract management to present over-optimistic financial results. The group would strong arm management to deliver the results they wanted."

    Keep your comments coming to bizlivepage@bbc.co.uk

  10. Tesco fraud trial discontinuedpublished at 11:30 Greenwich Mean Time 6 February 2018

    Emma Simpson
    Business correspondent, BBC News

    Tesco storeImage source, Getty Images

    The trial of three former Tesco executives charged with fraud and false accounting has been abandoned.

    The jury at Southwark Crown Court was discharged after being told that one of the defendants, Carl Rogberg, had suffered a heart attack and is now in hospital awaiting surgery.

    Chris Bush, Tesco's ex UK boss, John Scouler, the company's former commercial food director, and Carl Rogberg, former head of UK finance, had been on trial for more than four months for their alleged role in connection with the retailer's £250m accounting scandal in 2014.

    This high profile case has been beset by delays. It had been hoped that it would end before Christmas.The judge, Deborah Taylor, became ill during her summing up. There was a further delay of two weeks to allow a juror to go on holiday.

    Having already discharged another juror, that would’ve meant the jury going down to just ten men and women.

    It then emerged yesterday that Mr Rogberg, who turned 51 in January, had fallen ill.The jury was discharged but the outcome could only be reported until today.

    Ms Taylor told the jury: "It wouldn't be right or proper to continue with this trial."

    The Serious Fraud Office, which brought the case, will now decide whether or not a retrial is appropriate.

    A decision will be made on 2 March.

    The three men always denied the charges and argued in court that the SFO's investigation was flawed from the outset.

  11. 'Deeply saddened'published at 11:28 Greenwich Mean Time 6 February 2018

    Richard HowsonImage source, ParliamentTV

    Richard Howson, chief executive at Carillion from December 2009 to July 2017, says he is "deeply saddened and sorry" for what has happened to the company.

    He adds that but for a "few challenging contracts" he believes Carillion would have survived.

  12. Change of witnessespublished at 11:20 Greenwich Mean Time 6 February 2018

    The current session is coming to a close but coming up in the next session we're expecting evidence from more Carillion executives.

    We'll be hearing from former chairman Philip Green, Richard Adam, who was finance director, for nine years until December 2016, ex-chief executive Richard Howson, and Alison Horner, chair of remuneration committee.

  13. Restructuring?published at 11:18 Greenwich Mean Time 6 February 2018

    Frank Field is not convinced about the Carillion restructuring plan.

    Quote Message

    You've been talking about restructuring, which has largely meant throwing people overboard, as far as I can see.

  14. What would have made a difference?published at 11:14 Greenwich Mean Time 6 February 2018

    Mr Cochrane says that before Carillion's collapse the firm was "at an advanced stage of putting together a restructuring package".

    "What we were seeking was additional short-term funding to help find a long-term solution," he says.

    "That longer-term solution would have been the best possible outcome for the pension fund, for suppliers and for employees."

  15. Pension fund or dividends?published at 11:09 Greenwich Mean Time 6 February 2018

    Keith CochraneImage source, ParliamentTV

    Rachel Reeves asks Mr Cochrane: "Which was more important, paying the dividends or plugging the pensions deficit? Which one did you think you had to put more money into?"

    The former Carillion chief executive replies: "From my perspective, we had an agreed payment profile schedule with the pensions fund. It had been in place for 2014, 2015, and 2016.

    "In 2017 we deferred it as part of our restructuring arrangement, alongside suspending dividends, alongside asking for more money from the banks, alongside some of our financial stakeholders deferring some of their payments."

  16. Decency?published at 11:05 Greenwich Mean Time 6 February 2018

    An unhappy former Carillion worker has got in touch. He's asked not to be named as he still works in the industry, but says: "As a member of staff of one of Carillion's many subcontractors, I'm glad to see their ex-directors being held to account.

    "I'm disappointed although not surprised that none of them appear to have the decency to stand up and take responsibility for their failings."

    If you want to share your views about the Carillion collapse email bizlivepage@bbc.co.uk

  17. Brexit blamepublished at 10:58 Greenwich Mean Time 6 February 2018

    Sun's deputy political editor tweeting about Carillion hearing

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  18. What did Carillion do?published at 10:53 Greenwich Mean Time 6 February 2018

    While the evidence-taking continues, here's a reminder of how widespread Carillion's activiites were

    Carillion's activities
  19. Getting angry...published at 10:47 Greenwich Mean Time 6 February 2018

    BBC Business Editor Simon Jack tweets...

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  20. Asleep at the wheel?published at 10:42 Greenwich Mean Time 6 February 2018

    Zafar KhanImage source, ParliamentTV

    Mr Khan is asked whether he was asleep at the wheel.

    "No I don't believe I was asleep at the wheel because as soon as I came into the role we were looking to tackle the issues, and the key focus of my time in the role was to bring net debt down," he says.

    Rachel Reeves asks whether he thought he did the right things at the right time.

    "I believe I did everything that I could have done, essentially," he replies.