HC Deb 24 February 1983 vol 37 cc498-9W
Mr. Bagier

asked the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his reply of 27 January, Official Report, c. 499, to the hon. Member for Aberdeen, North (Mr. Hughes) how much the firm of Veryard and Partners has been paid in consultancy fees since May 1979; how many times it has been awarded a contract; and how many of those contracts were awarded by competitive tender.

Mr. Cohen

asked the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his reply of 27 January, Official Report, c. 499, to the hon. Member for Aberdeen, North (Mr. Hughes) how much the firm of Stirling Maynard and Partners has been paid in consultancy fees since May 1979; how many times it has been awarded a contract; and how many of those contracts were awarded by competitive tender.

Mr. Tinn

asked the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his reply of 27 January, Official Report, c. 499, to the hon. Member for Aberdeen, North (Mr. Hughes) how much the firm of Sir Owen Williams and Partners has been paid in consultancy fees since May 1979; how many times it has been awarded a contract; and how many of those contracts were awarded by competitive tender.

Mr. W. E. Garrett

asked the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his reply of 27 January, Official Report, c. 499, to the hon. Member for Aberdeen, North (Mr. Hughes) how much the firm of Sir Frederick Snow and Partners has been paid in consultancy fees since May 1979; how many times it has been awarded a contract; and how many of those contracts were awarded by competitive tender.

Mr. Homewood

asked the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his reply of 27 January, Official Report, c. 499, to the hon. Member for Aberdeen, North (Mr. Hughes) how much the firm of Ward Ashcroft and Parkman has been paid in consultancy fees since May 1979; how many times it has been awarded a contract; and how many of those contracts were awarded by competitive tender.

Mr. David Howell

The information on the number of highway schemes for which these firms have been appointed as main consultants and on their consultancy fees and expenses is as follows:

Number of schemes Fees and expenses paid since May 1979
£
Veryard and Partners 1 14,000
Stirling Maynard and Partners 3 72,000
Sir Owen Williams and Partners *4 799,000
Sir Frederick Snow and Partners 1 Nil
Ward Ashcroft and Parkman †5 1,089,000
* These schemes were all transferred from the Staffordshire road construction sub-unit.
†Three schemes were transferred from the Cheshire road construction sub-unit.

As I said in reply to the right hon. Member for Barrow-in-Furness (Mr. Booth) on 16 February 1983—[Vol. 37, c. 173]—for highway schemes consultants are usually appointed from a short list of firms, selected for their expertise, quality of work, and general suitability rather than through formal competitive tendering. That was the process whereby the Department awarded most of the above commissions. There were, however, additional criteria for the schemes transferred from road construction sub-units and a longer list of firms was considered. One commission was awarded after an approach to a single firm because it represented an extension of a scheme on which that firm was already engaged.