§ Mr. NellistTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will outline the reasons for the sevenfold increase in the level of payments for headquarter contracts awarded by his Department to British Telecommunications plc in the two years to 31 March 1988.
§ Mr. Sainsbury[holding answer 17 May 1989]: There has not been the significant increase in the actual level of payments to British Telecommunications plc which the answers to the hon. Member's previous questions might imply.
During the period covered by the replies, changes were introduced into Departmental accounting arrangements which brought more payments to British Telecommunications plc into the ambit of the headquarters payment process. On a comparable basis payments in 1985–86 would have been some £50 million.