§ Mr. Rookerasked the Minister of Transport what is the company engaged on his Department's behalf to provide supervision and testing of repairs currently being carried out between junctions 6 and 7 of the M6 motorway; how the company was appointed; if it submitted the lowest estimate; and why it is not mentioned in his Department's press notice of 7 May, reference WM 82/80.
§ Mr. Kenneth Clarke[pursuant to his reply, 18 June 1980, c. 579]: The West Midlands county council is responsible for supervising the repairs to the joints to the Queslett-Thornbridge viaducts between junctions 6 and 7 on the M6.
I am informed that to augment its own staff the council has obtained the services of temporary staff from R. J. P. Nicklin & Company Ltd. on the basis of rates negotiated with the firm, which was the lowest in competition for such services in 1978 and 1979. As I explained to the hon. Member on 21 May, such an arrangement does not require my right hon. Friend's approval.
This is not the sort of detailed information normally included in a press notice of the kind referred to.