§ Mr. HowardTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions(a)Ministers and (b)officials from HM Treasury have met (i) Ministers and (ii) officials from the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions to discuss the potential liabilities to the Exchequer which will arise from underwriting the contingent liabilities of the public private partnerships for London Underground, as proposed in the letters of comfort and Minute from the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions to the partners in the PPP presented to Parliament on 21 March. [47962]
§ Mr. Andrew SmithTreasury Ministers and officials have discussions with colleagues in other Departments on a wide range of subjects on a regular basis.
§ Matthew TaylorTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place the accounting advice he has received from the Office of National Statistics on the treatment of the commitments given in the London Underground Public Private Partnership letter of comfort in the Library; and if he will make a statement. [46676]
§ Mr. Andrew SmithThe Office for National Statistics has not been asked for advice on the London Underground Public Private Partnership.
257WThe Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions' Resource Accounts are drawn in accordance with the Treasury Resource Accounting Manual, which takes account of all Financial Reporting standards pronounced by the Accounting Standards Board. The contingent liability arising from any letters of comfort would therefore be recorded as a Note to the Department's Resource Accounts.