§ Mr. Whiteheadasked the Secretary of State for the Environment in how many instances during the construction of the M5 motorway measurement engineers have refused to carry out proposed claim solutions on the basis of figures advanced by the contractors concerned.
§ Mr. CarmichaelAll claims based on figures calculated by a contractor are subject to the scrutiny and evaluation of the engineer to the contract. It is the engineer's responsibility under the terms of the contract to assess the justification of quantum of the claim. Negotiations may take place on the basis of the engineer's assessments where they differ from those of the contractor. If the contractor remains unsatisfied with the engineer's final assessment, then he has recourse to arbitration. If my hon. Friend has any particular case in mind, I shall be pleased to have inquiries made.