Can the Minister of State tell us in relation to the guarantee which has been given by the purchasers of these stores as to the number of jobs which will be retained, whether a guarantee was given that those who were formerly employed by H. Williams will automatically be retained by the new purchasers?

An indication has been given that the staff of H. Williams will be given preference in restaffing the stores. The purchasers expect that about 75 per cent of those who will be employed will be former H. Williams workers. I am satisfied that a genuine effort is being made to retain these workers.

Does the Minister of State accept that many hundreds of jobs will be lost? Can he tell us whether it is still the case that the same legal and other trading circumstances in which the H. Williams debacle occurred, still obtain in the marketplace? Is there any reason why some form of inquiry into the reasons for the closure should still not take place?

I fear there will be job losses but much will depend on what will happen to the other 13 stores. As the Deputy is aware, an undertaking has been given that 14 stores will be reopened, and a further two stores will be reopened some time in 1988. As the Deputy is also aware, Quinnsworth have acquired four of the stores and they are going to reopen them, hopefully before Christmas. That leaves an additional 13 stores and much will depend, quite frankly, on what happens to those stores and on the plans which the new owners have for them. The only undertaking we have received relates to the 16 stores I have mentioned plus the four which Quinnsworth have acquired. I encourage everybody involved in the remaining stores — if there is anybody involved in them at this stage — to reopen them. I would like to see them reopened as independent stores and trading as soon as possible but the Deputy will appreciate we cannot dictate to the owner in that regard. I hope there will not be job losses. It depends on what happens to those stores.