Northern Ireland Electricity

HC Deb 17 May 1991 vol 191 cc294-5W

Mr. Beggs

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will name the organisations or concerns which have so far expressed an interest in purchasing power stations in Northern Ireland or investing in Northern Ireland Electricity.

Mr. Needham

No organisation or concern has yet formally registered an interest in purchasing the power stations or in acquiring shares in NIE's successor company. All such expressions of interest would in any event represent commercially confidential information and would not normally be published.

Mr. McNamara

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he or his officials have had with the chairman of the Northern Ireland electricity service concerning the drafting of the minute relating to the decision of the Northern Ireland electricity service not to renew the contract of its chief executive.

Mr. Needham

The drafting of the minutes of the board of Northern Ireland Electricity is a matter for the chairman and company secretary.

The chairman of NIE meets Ministers and officials on a regular basis, and advised the Department of Economic Development of the discussions at the meeting of the board on 3 May.