§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps he intends to take to ensure that private consultants appointed using grants under the enterprise initiative are professionally competent.
§ Mr. AtkinsBefore a consultancy practice can undertake assignments under the terms of the enterprise initiative, it must satisfy two basic criteria. First, the practice must have been established for at least two years. Second, it must provide four satisfactory business references for work undertaken on its own account. In addition, every assignment undertaken by a consultancy is closely monitored by the organisations contracted to administer the consultancy schemes. A consultancy practice that fails to deliver quality and value for money will not be used again.