That this House regrets that since the motorists' organisation, the AA, was purchased by the venture capitalists CVC and Permira in 2004, some 3,400 of the 10,000 staff who assist motorists have been sacked; notes that the company has indulged in union-busting tactics; further notes that the remaining employees, many of whom are GMB members, have been put under excessive pressure to cope with extra work resulting in some motorists being abandoned at the roadside; is concerned that AA membership charges have risen by up to 30 per cent. while company profits have doubled to ??200 million; is alarmed at reports that the venture capitalists are planning to borrow a further ??500 million to pay themselves a special dividend that would burden the company with bank borrowings of ??1.9 billion and which could jeopardise future pensions; considers this action to be blatant asset stripping by individuals who are protecting their own assets by operating through limited liability companies; and believes that company law should be reformed to prevent speculators from exploiting the protections afforded by limited status and that the interests of the customer and the employee should not be jeopardised by the greed of venture capitalists like Permira and CVC.

That this House regrets that since the motorists' organisation, the AA, was purchased by the venture capitalists CVC and Permira in 2004, some 3,400 of the 10,000 staff who assist motorists have been sacked; notes that the company has indulged in union-busting tactics; further notes that the remaining employees, many...

That this House expresses its concerns over proposals by the AA to withdraw its only major operation centre in Scotland with the loss of some 240-quality jobs; calls for the fullest consultation on these proposals, not only with the employees but also with the communities affected by the decision, which could endanger this emergency service, particularly in rural communities; and believes that an opportunity should also be given to current members of the Automobile Association to register their views in order that they can make an informed decision on whether or not they wish to retain their membership, prior to this decision being implemented.

That this House expresses its concerns over proposals by the AA to withdraw its only major operation centre in Scotland with the loss of some 240-quality jobs; calls for the fullest consultation on these proposals, not only with the employees but also with the communities affected by the decision, which...