§ Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the contracts for consultancy and other work carried out by Bechtel in each year since 1997, stating in each case(a) the nature of the work, (b) the value of the contract and (c) the duration of the contract; and if she will make a statement. [135901]
§ Ms Hewitt[holding answer 3 November 2003]: The Department has placed one direct contract with Bechtel since 1997. The work covers the provision of technical support and assistance to the Department's Liabilities Management Unit in carrying out its remit to prepare the ground for the creation of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. The Department paid Bechtel £8.044 million for its work in 2002–03. The contract was placed on 10 June 2002 for a two-year duration, with options to extend for a further period of up to five years.