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MPs running the inquiry into Carillion鈥檚 collapse have revealed the stricken contractor paid advisors 拢6.4m in the days leading up to its collapse as it desperately sought 拢10m in government aid.

The work and pensions and business committees have released information from the Official Receiver about Carillion鈥檚 last minute payments to its advisers, alongside a letter chairman Philip Green (pictured) wrote to the government looking for short-term funding.

The letter, which Green sent to John Manzoni, permanent secretary for the Cabinet Office on 13 January, denied any funding from the government would be a bail-out.

It said: 鈥淚f Carillion successfully restructures itself, it will be at extremely modest cost to HM Government鈥� he said.

鈥淚t will not be a bail-out, and there can be no basis for saying that Carillion or its shareholders or management is being rewarded for failure or for past mistakes. The previous senior management team have all exited the business.鈥�

The funding proposal attached to Green鈥檚 letter revealed Carillion wanted 拢160m in government finance to guarantee 拢60m鈥檚 worth of loans from the banks.

The plan from the company鈥檚 bosses was for short-term finance from the banks and government to provide the basis for a longer term restructure.

The documents also reveal the contractor urged the government to talk to HMRC about plans to defer 拢62.7m of tax payments as it scrambled to stay afloat.

The inquiry鈥檚 co-chairs were scathing of Carillion鈥檚 large payments to City advisers the day before the company requested government funding.

Frank Field, chair of the work and pensions committee, said: 鈥淲ith the company teetering on the abyss, Mr Green had the cheek to try and get the government to surrender another 拢160m of taxpayers鈥� money.

鈥淭he most troubling element of this letter is its demands for an immediate 拢10m from taxpayers, the very next day after Carillion shelled out 拢6.4m to its illustrious advisers, including the EY restructuring gravy train and half the law firms in the City of London.

鈥淭he smaller suppliers that are the lifeblood of the British economy of course got no such treatment.鈥�

Field鈥檚 counterpart on the business committee, Rachel Reeves said: 鈥淭his 11th hour ransom note lays bare the cynical leadership of the Carillion board. Directors鈥� management ensured that the costs of failure would be picked up by the taxpayer, either from a bail-out or footing the bill for a desperate clean-up operation.

鈥淓xpensive advisers still pocketed millions while workers risked losing jobs and long-suffering suppliers faced financial ruin.鈥�