§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if his Department gave consent to contract splitting in relation to the contract awarded to KLR and Co., consultants to the Welsh Development Agency on information technology and general financial management; if he will list the principal points in which his consent to contract splitting would affect the tendering and approval procedures; and if he will make a statement. [19222]
§ Mr. RedwoodKLR and Co. was contracted to provide cover for the vacant post of chief finance officer on 9 March 1995. This was in addition to the contract under which KLR and Co. was engaged to review the agency's information systems on 23 December 1994.
These were separate contracts and my consent was not required.
§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Welsh Development Agency concerning the legal opinion of Vernon Pugh QC on the agency's involvement in the assembly and disposal of land for the Tesco superstore at Gadlys road, Aberdare; on what date he received a copy of council's opinion; and if he will make a statement. [19339]
§ Mr. RedwoodNone. The opinion was received in my office on 22 March.
§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Welsh Development Agency concerning the total cost to the agency of the Grant Thornton report into the Tesco—Cynon Valley superstore land deal, if his departmental consent was required for the commission to Grant Thornton; and if he will make a statement. [19255]
§ Mr. RedwoodNone. The commissioning of the report did not require my Department's consent, although I agreed that the agency should commission an investigation.