§ Ms. HarmanTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) when the north Peckham task force was first approached for assistance in respect of a co-operative shop on the Gloucester grove estate;
(2) what ministerial involvement there was in the consideration of the application to the north Peckham task force for funds for a co-operative shop on the Gloucester grove estate.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeI have been closedly involved in the progress of the proposal to establish a co-operative shop on the Gloucester grove estate since the north Peckham task force was first approached formally by the Gloucester grove co-operative in August 1986 for a £500 grant to carry out market research to determine the feasibility of establishing such a shop. I approved this grant on 1 September 1986. Following the completion of the feasibility study and the decision to locate the shop in part of derelict garages at Winchcombe court, I approved a further grant of £86,000 on 23 March 1987 to pay for conversion costs, together with a grant of £1,200 to pay for drawing up a business plan and temporary office costs. The grant of £86,000 for conversion was subject to Southwark council agreeing to fund revenue costs initially.
24WDespite many attempts by the task force to obtain the council's agreement it was not until February this year that the council agreed to make a grant of £20,000 to the cooperative for revenue costs.
§ Ms. HarmanTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the annual pay of the north Peckham task force leader Daniel Levy.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe leader of the north Peckham task force is a fee-paid consultant. It is not the practice to disclose the value of individual contracts between my Department and its consultants and advisers in order to preserve commercial confidentiality.
§ Ms. HarmanTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the total annual cost of the north Peckham task force, including travel, office, furniture, publicity and staff and including an estimate of the cost of administrative work carried out at his Department in respect of the task force, and the amount paid to outside organisations to monitor its work.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe administrative cost of the north Peckham task force during 1987–88 was around £125,000. It is not possible to estimate the cost of work carried out exclusively on behalf of the north Peckham task force by the headquarters unit, which is responsible among other matters for the operation of the Government's task forces. It is not the practice to disclose the value of individual contracts between the Department and outside consultants and advisers in order to protect commercial confidentiality.
§ Ms. HarmanTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the cost to the north Peckham task force of(a) the local link leaflet, and how many were produced and distributed, (b) the buffet lunch on the open day on 1 February and (c) any other costs of the open day on 1 February.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe information requested is as follows:
£ (a) Design, printing and distribution of 10,000 local link leaflets 2,678 (b) Buffet available throughout open day on 1 February 1988 1,906 (c) (i) Invitations for open day 62 (ii) Fees for plans and display in connection with the Spike community association's presentation of proposals for developing managed workspace in north Peckham 200