THE dealings of county-based entrepreneur and Rover director Peter Beale will be scrutinised in an inquiry into the motor company's downfall.

Mr Beale - one of the four members of Phoenix Venture Holdings - who lives in a £1.2m home in Dunhamstead, near Droit-wich, will come under the spotlight in an inquiry announced by Chancellor Gordon Brown.

Meanwhile, a mass-meeting of 6,000 Rover workers was due to be held at Longbridge today. They still have a job this week, after the Government announced a £6.5m aid package to let crisis talks aimed at saving the firm continue.

At the weekend it was revealed that Phoenix made more than £40m from MG Rover since they bought it in 2000.

Accountants sifting through the Rover books have raised concerns over Phoenix's solvency, and there has been mounting criticism for the way Mr Beale and his colleagues Nick Stephenson, John Edwards and John Towers have run the company.

Since 2000, together with chief executive Kevin Howe, the original four have set up a £16m trust fund. They will also share in an estimated £2.6m when MG Rover's car leasing business is wound up.

Last year they netted £26m - more than twice the amount BMW paid its board. The news of the cash Phoenix has harvested from the company has angered union officials fighting for the rights and pensions of the workforce. An emergency mee-ting for the company's parts suppliers has been called to offer them advice on how to secure a portion of a multi-million pound aid package.

The meeting has been organised by the supply chain initiative Accelerate to advise suppliers such as Stourport-based Collins and Aikman, on the qualifying criteria for government assistance.

The supplier-only meeting, today, will start at 5pm at the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce.

Those parties should ring 0121 6070121.