A HIGH COURT action against Hoover looks increasingly likely after a flood of applications last week to join a pressure group advised by the City solicitors Herbert Smith.

THE HOOVER Holiday Pressure Group is planning a High Court action, writes Caroline Merrell.

OWNERS Abroad, which was rocked earlier this month by a profits warning and the departure of its chairman, Howard Klein, is facing a multi-million-pound legal action over an alleged dirty tricks campaign it is said to have waged against a travel company now owned by Airtours, its arch-rival.

An insurance policy is a United Kingdom policy within the meaning of section 4(2) of the Policyholders Protection Act 1975 if, had any of the obligations under the contract evidenced by the policy been performed at the relevant time, such performance would have formed part of an insurance business which the insurer was authorised to carry on in the UK, whether or not such obligations would have been performed in the UK.

The Westminster firm Lewis Silkin has appointed a new practice manager, Peter Scott. Mr Scott has six years' experience of professional services management, three with the City firm Herbert Smith and three with the architects Fitzroy Robinson Partnership. Lewis Silkin's previous practice manager, Simon Sanger-Anderson, is to take on a fee-earning role, heading the mortgage repossession team shortly to move to Farnham, Surrey.

The oath or affirmation of a deponent in an affidavit of discovery pursuant to an order for specific discovery under Order 24, rule 7 of the Rules of the Supreme Court is conclusive and the other party cannot by cross-examination seek to show it is untrue.

The Serious Fraud Office has no general power to disclose to a company's liquidators information obtained, under statutory powers of search and seizure, when investigating a fraud involving that company.