HC Deb 28 February 2002 vol 380 c1479W
Mr. Waterson

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her answer of 11 February 2002,Official Report, column 60W, if she will list (a) those attending and (b) the subjects discussed at the business dinner with Arthur Andersen on 22 January. [37576]

Mr. Hewitt

The dinner was attended by a number of senior business people and representatives from Arthur Anderson. A wide range of issues were discussed. It is not normal practice to release details of meetings or discussions with private individuals or companies.

Mr. Andrew Turner

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many contracts Arthur Andersen received from HM Government in each year since 1987; and what the aggregate value of those contracts was(a) before and (b) since 1997. [38388]

Ms Hewitt: This information is not held centrally.

For my own Department, since May 1997 seven contracts with an aggregate value of £4.9 million have been awarded. Information for the period 1987–97 cannot be accessed except at disproportionate cost.

Matthew Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her answer of 11 February 2002, to the hon. Member for Eastbourne (Mr. Waterson),Official Report, column 60W, on Arthur Andersen, if she will place interim reports from the contracts in the Library; and if she will make a statement. [37687]

Ms Hewitt

The position on publication of reports on the ongoing contracts with Arthur Andersen referred to in my answer of 11 February is as follows:

Framework arrangement for the Work-life Balance Challenge Fund projects: as the projects involve information provided on a confidential basis by companies there will be no published report.

Study of UK competitive position: the project involves researching and updating manuals for investment officers in the UK and abroad and regional partners. As these documents are for internal training use only there will be no published report.

Research and updating of information sheets: this information is available on the Invest UK website www.invest.uk.com.