§ Mr. PrescottTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the advisers who have been appointed to assist the Government, the South of Scotland Electricity Board and the North of Scotland Hydro Electric Board in the proposed privatisation of the electricity supply industry in Scotland and the amount of money that has been paid to each of these advisers in the last financial year and how much it is estimated will be paid to each of them in this financial year and in the next financial year.
§ Mr. Lang[pursuant to the reply 28 October 1988 c.424]: I have been asked to reply. The advisory team to the Government currently consists of Barclays de Zoete Wedd, British Linen bank, Coopers and Lybrand, McGrigor Donald, Merz and McLellan and the reporting accountants to the two boards, Deloitte Haskins and Sells and Peat Marwick McLintock.
Expenditure in 1987–88 was £615,648 and there is estimated provision in 1988–89 of £4 million. It is not usual practice to publish details of individual contracts. Advice received by the two boards is a matter for them.