Speaking in the House of Commons yesterday afternoon, David Heath, the Liberal Democrat MP for Somerton and Frome, requested a debate on the 287 job losses at the book printer, which closed on Saturday.

Heath described the company as being of "national and international reputation" and highlighted the PrintWeek Award it won last year for the quality of its book printing.

He said the staff had been "treated shabbily" by management at the company and called for Parliament to ensure that staff were paid fully the monies they were owed.

He also called for a debate to ensure all staff found new employment.

Heath described his concern at rumours, the source of which was not divulged, that the company could re-open as a "phoenix company" using B&T assets and a non-unionised workforce.

He said that, were this to happen, it would be "more redolent of a Victorian mill owner than a modern industry, and I deplore the suggestion".

However, Mike Dolan, the firm's chairman and managing director of its owner Media & Print Investments (MPI), has previously told PrintWeek that he has no interest in re-opening the firm.

He said: "Neither MPI nor any of its subsidiaries will purchase the B&T plant and machinery, stock, name, work in progress or anything else. Those assets will be sold off on an arms-length, open market basis for the benefit of the company's creditors."

However, the Speaker threw out Heath's request, saying that for reasons he was not required to state, he did not consider the matter appropriate for debate.

For the full text of David Heath's speech, click here.