Kraft chief defies MPs by snubbing committee hearing

THE head of US food giant Kraft has angered MPs by snubbing them for a second time by refusing to appear before the House of Commons’ Business, Innovation and Skills Committee.

MPs had wanted to quiz Irene Rosenfeld about her company’s £11.5bn hostile takeover of Cadbury’s this time last year.

In particular, members of the committee wanted to talk to her about the future of the company’s UK manufacturing base following the closure of the Somerdale plant, near Bristol, earlier this year.

Kraft’s decision to switch control of Cadbury from the UK to Switzerland, thereby depriving the Treasury of millions of pounds in tax was also expected to occupy the minds of MPs.

However, Ms Rosenfeld, who declined to attend the committee last year, sending her senior vice president Marc Firestone instead, has again declined to attend the meeting.

Mr Firestone is again expected to attend the hearing in her place.

Committee chairman and West Bromwich MP Adrian Bailey said Ms Rosenfeld had demonstrated her indifference to the situation by declining to attend the hearing. He said it also demonstrated a disregard to the plight of workers at the Cadbury plant in Bournville.

Kraft has placed a moratorium on jobs at Bournville – the company’s global centre of excellence for chocolate development – until next year, however, no guarantees apply beyond that that date.