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The Presbyterian Mutual Society's Administrator has written to the society's 9,500 members . Arthur Boyd says this route would grant part-repayment of the members' investments, and would allow the society to continue to exist in the future, in some form, should the members desire it.

UPDATE: Ulster Unionist Party leader Sir Reg Empey tonight called for the Government to intervene to help those caught up in the crisis. Many would be devastated by the news which arrived in the post from the administrator, he said, and extended to them his deepest regret. But he added: "I believe the Government has let these individuals down - they have failed to step in and address the matter and have simply shifted responsibility to ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive. This is most
unfortunate indeed." Sir Reg, one of the ministers in the Executive, said it was not good enough for the buck to be passed to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment in Belfast. "After all, the Prime Minister said that this was not a national crisis but a worldwide crisis. If this is so, it makes no sense for the Treasury to argue that this matter is for a small region to resolve. "If ever there was an opportunity for government to help its citizens out in a difficult situation then it is now," added Sir Reg.