§ Mr. Stokesasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works and Buildings, what proportion of the fees, amounting to £358,000, paid to Sir Alexander Gibb and Partners by his Ministry during the period December, 1940, to March, 1942, is retained by the firm; and whether he has any right of access to their books to ascertain the profit made by them?
§ Mr. HicksAs I informed the hon. Member in reply to a Question addressed to me by him on the 11th February last, the sum of £358,000 is an estimate of the2172W amount which will fall to be paid to the firm as outgoings on salaries and wages of staff, fees of quantity surveyors and specialist consultants and other disbursements, including a proportion of head office costs for rent, rates and other office expenses. The sum actually paid will be the amount of the firm's actual outgoings under these heads as shown in their accounts and checked by the Ministry. No portion of this sum will be retained by the firm except the proportion for head office costs referred to above. The answer to the last part of the Question is "Yes, Sir."