§ Mr. DonohoeTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what use his Department has made of private detective agencies or investigators during 1995–96 and 1994–95; what agencies have been employed; for what purposes; and at what cost to his Department. [30564]
§ Mr. HagueIn 1994–95 private investigation services were used by my Department on eight occasions at a cost of approximately £670. In 1995–96 such agencies were used on three occasions at a cost of approximately £310.
Private investigation agencies have been used in cases of damage to trunk road furniture and recovery of rent. The companies are not named for reasons of commercial confidentiality.