§ Mr. Robert Hughesasked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what estimates he obtained in advance of their appointment from R. Travers Morgan and Partners and Peat Marwick Mitchell for their consultancy services to the Serpell committee;
(2) which consultant firms were asked to tender for work in connection with the Serpell committee.
§ Mr. David Howell[pursuant to his reply, 28 January 1983, c. 545]: R. Travers Morgan and Partners estimated that its work for the Serpell committee would be of the order of £350,000 (excluding VAT). Peat Marwick, Mitchell and Company submitted an estimate of £350,000 (excluding VAT) in respect of the separate commission I gave Mr. Butler and announced to the House on 31 March 1982—[Vol. 21, c. 140]—to study British Rail's 1982 budget and grant claim. This estimate was more than sufficient to cover the work on the grant claim. My Department agreed to extend the commission, at the committee's request, to cover the wider issues it was considering. For the reasons given in my reply on 20 January to the right hon. Member for Barrow-in-Furness (Mr. Booth)—[Vol. 35, c. 215–216]—competitive tenders were not invited.