Sir Philip Green’s wife being tracked by regulator to help pay £571 million BHS debt
Final 22 department stores close across the UK this weekend and 22,000 staff pension pots hang in the balance
SIR Philip Green’s wife Lady Tina may be forced to pay towards to BHS’s £571million black hole.
The Pensions Regulator is understood to be probing her over the movement of assets in his empire.
A source said the watchdog could slap her with a “contribution notice” after making slow progress with her husband.
The notice can be enforced if it is found there has been a “deliberate attempt to avoid” paying into the scheme.
Sir Philip, 64, who bought the firm in 2000, has been blasted for his failure to help 22,000 staff whose pension pots hang in the balance.
The chain collapsed in April, 13 months after he sold it for just £1.
The final 22 stores will close tomorrow.
Lady Green, 67, had been left out of initial investigations.
A spokesman for The Pensions Regulator said: “Our anti-avoidance investigation continues and our chief executive has given a clear commitment to make significant progress by the end of 2016.”
MP Frank Field, chairman of the work and pensions committee which investigated BHS, said: “Lady Tina is now firmly in the frame.”
Sir Philip has insisted he had no legal liability to bail out the scheme because he does not own the company any more.