§ Mr. MilburnTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will estimate the cost of employing consultants in connection with privatisation programmes in which his Department has been engaged since 1980.
§ Mr. Goodlad[holding answer 4 May 1994]: Estimated expenditure on studies carried out since 1987 for the Overseas Development Administration on the future status of the Crown agents for overseas Governments and administrations, and future ownership options for the Natural Resources Institute, is £208,000, net of VAT. Figures for any expenditure in earlier years are not available. The British aid programme has also paid for consultancy studies related to the privatisation programmers being pursued by overseas governments. An estimate of expenditure on these could be provided only at disproportionate cost.