§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will make a statement on the commissioning of Touche Ross by the Welsh Development Agency as part of the team of consultants working on the Operation Wizard exercise;
(2) if he will make a statement on the commissioning of consultants Outram Cullinan and Co., Villiers street, London WC2, as part of the Operation Wizard exercise;
(3) what ministerial approval was given for expenditure by the Welsh Development Agency on merchant banking consultancy advice on a wholesale or retail management buy-out of WDA operations in 1989–90; what consultations were undertaken; and what guidelines were set for the Operation Wizard exercise.
§ Mr. David Hunt[holding answer 13 January 1993]: The then Secretary of State considered possible options for the future of the WDA's functions in 1988 and 1989. This consideration included professional advice commissioned by the agency on a range of options for increasing private sector involvement. It was decided that the WDA's range of functions should remain unchanged subject to regular review from time to time under the cycle of financial management and policy reviews.