Party MP have been settled out of court.

Gibbons & White Real Estate sued ScottCrafts Ltd., alleging rent arrears and property damage.

Scott Crafts filed a counter action. Mr. Alex Scott, the former Opposition Leader in the Senate who was elected to represent Warwick East in the House of Assembly on October 5, is managing director of Scott Crafts.

The dispute, which was scheduled to go to trial in Magistrates' Court Friday, was settled out of court on July 20.

"We basically just agreed the two actions cancelled each other out,'' Mr.

Scott said yesterday. "The whole matter was dealt with in a very business-like way.'' Ms Jenny Gibbons, a partner in Gibbons & White, agreed the matter was settled amicably but said "we certainly didn't back down on the amount that was due''.

Scott Crafts owed her company more than $7,000, and "we have negotiated with him to pay the money over a period of time,'' Ms Gibbons said of Mr. Scott.

Scott Crafts formerly rented space from Gibbons & White in the Commerce Building in Hamilton.

Earlier, Scott Crafts lawyer Mr. Julian Hall MP said the company left because of downsizing related to the recession. The company was closed for six weeks because of the general election, but has re-opened.