§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr on 21 May, why all the firms listed in his answer were not listed in the letter sent from his Department's West Midlands regional office to the West Midlands county council dated 26 February.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeBecause West Midlands county council has needed to supplement its own staff engaged on supervision and testing work on the Midland links, my regional office has from time to time provided the county council with information about firms from which suitable staff might be obtained. The letter of 26 February was one of several communications in which the names of all the firms listed in my answer of 21 May, except one added after 26 February, were notified to the council.