Hundreds more Carillion workers made redundant bringing total job losses to 1,371

Another 230 Carillion workers have been made redundant following the construction company's collapse, taking the total job losses to 1,371.

The company went into liquidation in January after talks failed to find another way to deal with the company's £1.15 billion debts.

The Official Receiver said a further 4,556 jobs had been secured after new suppliers had been found to take over Carillion's public and private sector contracts.

More than 8,000 Carillion workers have now found "secure jobs", the Official Receiver added.

"Unfortunately as the liquidation proceeds some roles supporting contracts that have transferred are no longer required," the Official Receiver said.

Carillion collapsed in January with huge debts. Credit: PA

"As a result 230 employees have been declared redundant and will leave the business later this week. Those who have lost their jobs will be able to find support through Jobcentre Plus's Rapid Response Service and are also entitled to make a claim for statutory redundancy payments," the Offficial Receiver added.

"Discussions with potential purchasers continue and I expect that the number of jobs safeguarded through the liquidation will continue to rise.

"I am continuing to engage with staff, elected employee representatives and unions to keep them informed as these arrangements are confirmed."

The latest redundancies came as it was revealed Carillion's former finance director "dumped" the last of his shares - worth hundreds of thousands of pounds - at the first possible moment.

Former financial director Richard Adam 'dumped' his shares, a committee heard. Credit: PA

A letter from Richard Adam was published by the Work and Pensions and Business Select Committees, which are conducting an inquiry into the Carillion's demise.

Mr Adam retired at the end of December 2016 and on March 1, 2017 sold his entire existing shareholding for £534,000, including performance awards for 2013-2015 of £277,000 which vested on his retirement.

He then sold his long-term incentive plan awards for 2014 on May 8, 2017, the day they vested, for £242,000.

In total, in March and May 2017 he sold shares worth £776,000, the committees revealed.

Mr Adam said: " I sold the shares that I was eligible to sell when I was invited to do so by the company as I retired.

"More than half of the shares in the company that I had an interest in at retirement have been lost as a result of the company entering liquidation."

Previous evidence published by the committees said Mr Adam regarded funding Carillion's pension scheme as a "waste of money".

More than 1,000 jobs have been lost in total. Credit: PA

Frank Field, chairman of the Work and Pensions Select Committee, said: "Mr Adam presided over Carillion's finances for a decade. He, more than anyone else, ought to know the merits of Carillion shares as a long-term investment in the light of his lengthy and lucrative tenure.

"His assessment? Dumping the last of his shares at the first possible moment because he is - with his own money at least - 'risk averse'. What conclusions are we to draw from that?"