Former government minister Geoffrey Robinson has told the BBC that an inquiry into the collapse of the engineering firm he established will clear him of any wrongdoing.

TransTec is at the centre of an investigation ordered by the Department of Trade and Industry following its collapse last month amid allegations that the firm had concealed a claim from the Ford Motor Company for an outstanding £11m payment.

Mr Robinson insisted he knew "absolutely nothing" about the claim and welcomed the inquiry as he was "blameless".

"There has been no impropriety in any respect," he said.

The former treasury minister has also been criticised by the company's former chief accountant Max Ayriss, who said the MP had instructed him on how to "maximise" grant claims, boosting totals by a "five-figure sum".

Mr Robinson's former TransTec colleagues have vigorously denied those charges.

Downing Street has said the company would be treated like any other that the DTI looks into.

But speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Robinson denied having any knowledge of the Ford claim, saying he had given up his directorship of the company at the time the claim was made.

"I did absolutely not know at the time, nor as far as I know did the other non-executive directors," he said.

"We knew we had a big problem with Ford but we had no knowledge of a claim."

'Incorrect allegations'

He said he was pleased the Trade Secretary Stephen Byers had ordered an inquiry into the collapse of TransTec.

"The best thing we can have is to have this properly examined," he said.

The former minister added that Mr Ayriss's allegations were incorrect and "it's as simple as that".

TransTec collapsed last month