HL Deb 02 December 1981 vol 425 cc1115-6WA
Lord Underhill

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is the total amount to be paid to the 15 firms for the design work on road schemes amounting to over £2,000 million which is being transferred to them from the 16 Road Construction Sub-units of the Department of Transport.

The Earl of Avon

It is not possible to make any precise calculation as the design work on many of the transferred schemes will not begin until some time in the future and the final fees on all schemes will be calculated on the final cost of the works.

We can only make a very rough estimate that the total amount to be paid by way of fees and reimbursable expenses will be of the order of £80 million to £90 million, at December 1980 prices, spread over many years.