§ Mr. Peter Bruinvelsasked the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 22 April, Official Report, column 359, what penalty clauses are in operation in respect of late completion of outstanding sections of the M25; what is his policy (a) in awarding contracts for motorway construction and (b) in attaching penalty clauses for late completion; and if he will make a statement.
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Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 Licensing by MAFF in England during 1984 Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Region Species Prohibited method HQ E M and W SE SW N Totals Number licences Number birds taken Number licences Number birds taken Number licences Number birds taken Number birds taken Number licences Number birds taken Number licences Number birds taken Numberlicences Number birds taken Number licences Number birds taken Feral pigeions and house sparrows Stupefying bait — — 50 10,700 387 22,442 37 3,419 37 4,576 168 2,813 •679 43,950 Herring gulls Stupefying bait 1 157 — — — — — — — — — — •1 156 House sparrows Mist nets — — — — 7 92 3 — — — 7 178 •17 270 Pigeons, sparrows and starlings Artificial light — — 1 na — — 4 na 2 na 1 na •8 na Bullfinch Cage trap *1 — — — — — — — — — — — *•▪1 na Brent geese na — — 54 468 — — 20 141 — — — — ▪74 †627 Greylag/ 13 — — 1 9 22 na — — 3 — — — — ▪13 Canada geese 1 13 8 218 — — 231 Canada geese eggs na — — — — 1 21 — — — — — — ▪1 ‖21 Pink footed geese na — — — — 1 4 — — — — — — ▪1 4 Cormorants na — — 1 ‡ 3 ‡4 — — — — — — ▪4 ‡4 Herons na — — — — — — 1 4 — — — — 1 4 Blackbirds na — — — — — — 1 † — — — — ▪1 ‡ Totals 2 156 110 11,212 407 22,781 66 3,564 39 4,576 177 3,000 801 ¶45,289 * General licence †1983–84 season. ‡ Licence covers 1984–85. Returns not yet available. ‖ Eggs pricked. ¶ Includes 21 eggs pricked. • For the purposes of preserving public health ▪ For the purpose of preventing serious damage to livestock, foodstuffs for livestock, crops, vegetables, fruit, growing timber of fisheries.
§ Mrs. ChalkerAll the contracts for sections of the M25 now being completed contain provisions for the payment of a predetermined amount of liquidated damages by the contractor for each day he exceeds the authorised period for completion.
My policy is to award contracts for motorway constructon to the firm submitting the lowest acceptable offer, following competitive tendering by civil engineering contractors selected for their record of achieving good work, on time, and at competitive prices.
The tender invitations documents state the period in which the works are to be completed, together with the amount of liquidated damages due for each day that period is exceeded by the contractor.