§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) on what grounds he instructed the Welsh Health Common Services Authority to place W. S. Atkins and Partners on a stop list for the purposes of hospital design consultancy work; and on what date subsequent modification to that instruction have taken place;
(2) if he will specify what instructions his Department issued to Welsh Health Common Services Authority to place W. S. Atkins and Partners on a stop list; on what date the stop list was lifted or modified; what bearing the stop list classification had on pre-qualification for inquiries about sale of hospital design sections of the Welsh Health Common Services Authority; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RedwoodW. S. Atkins and Partners has not been placed on any stop list in Wales. Health authorities in Wales were advised on 22 September 1988 that it should not be appointed to major new commissions in 'Wales without the approval of the Department and to ensure the company was capable of performing satisfactorily in all aspects of the proposed commission.
The requirement for departmental approval was lifted on 4 January 1991, but health authorities were required to exercise caution when considering any appointment of W. S. Atkins and Partners.
Any speculation about the future of the EstateCare Group of the Welsh Health Common Services Authority or the interest of any particular company is premature until the current review of market testing opportunities has been completed.
§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Welsh Health Common Services Authority in relation to inquiries by W. S. Atkins and Partners with a view to the market testing and sale of the EstateCare group of the Welsh Health Common Services Authority.
§ Mr. RedwoodNone.