§ Dr. Cunninghamasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has asked the Metropolitan police to undertake further investigations into the Property Services Agency; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Patrick JenkinIn an article in theNews of the World on Sunday 11 November it was reported that PSA staff had been on holidays arranged by, and accepted other favours from, contractors with whom they had dealings.
The five staff concerned were interviewed and it is clear that their relationships with the contractor require investigation. All five were therefore suspended from duty on Monday 12 November, and all the contractors mentioned by the News of the World precluded from bidding for further PSA work without the express approval of the PSA director of contracts. The newspaper made a number of items of evidence available to PSA; the agency immediately contacted the Director of Public Prosecutions.