§ Q36. Mr. Boothasked the Prime Minister if she will publish in the Official Report the rules governing the commissioning of work by committees of inquiry set up by Her Majesty's Government from outside consultants in cases where members of such committees have a personal financial interest in such consultants; and if she is satisfied that the payments of £370,000 to R. Travers Morgan and Partners and £182,000 to Peat Marwick Mitchell and Co. whose senior partners Mr. Goldstein and Mr. Butler were members of the review of British Rail finances, the Serpell committee, fall within the rules.
§ The Prime MinisterR. Travers Morgan and Partners and Peat Marwick Mitchell and Co. were appointed by the Department of Transport in conformity with the rules governing such appointments. These are set out in the code of practice for the use of management consultants by Government Departments—third edition, HMSO 1980—a copy of which is in the Library of the House. The payments to the consultants fall within the rules.