HC Deb 31 March 1988 vol 130 cc648-9W
Mr. Tim Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list each management or computer consultancy contract awarded by the Scottish Development Agency in 1987, giving in each case the name of the consultancy firm and the subject of the assignment.

Mr. Lang

[holding answer 28 March 1988]: In 1987–88 (to 31 March 1988) the Scottish Development Agency commissioned 113 management or computer consultancies of a value of £5,000 or more. Several hundred consultancies to a lesser value were also commissioned: these were not exclusively management or computer consultancies. A detailed breakdown comprising the names of companies which have successfully tendered for contracts and the subject of these contracts cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate expense.

Mr. Tim Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total amount spent by the Scottish Development Agency in 1987 on management and computer consultancy contracts, excluding hardware and software purchases.

Mr. Lang

[holding answer 29 March 1988]: The amount spent by the Scottish Development Agency on consultants' fees in 1987–88 (to 31 March 1988) was £6,851,863.

This includes fees for research and development, advisory services, appraisal arid administration, such as tax and accountancy advice, pension and legal consultancies, as well as management and computer consultancy.

Mr. Tim Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list each management or computer consultancy contract awarded by his Department in 1987, giving in each case the name of the consultancy firm and the subject of the assignment.

Mr. Rifkind

The information requested is as follows:

Firm and Subject of Assignment J. B. Schofield & Partners—To develop a fully integrated database system for monitoring the design, construction, inspection, and maintenance of highway structures. Babtie Shaw & Morton — To develop a computer programme for estimating the cost of alternative designs for new bridges. J. M. P. Consultants Ltd. — To develop a system for recording and storing results of materials testing carried out during the construction of new bridges. BP International—Development of a Procurement Manual. A. Macdonald Associates — Review of Building Regulations: Intelligent Information Systems Frank Griffiths Associates Ltd. — Overview of Roads Procurement Procedures. IBM—Systems Engineering Services. Ashford Associates—Investigation into document storage and retrieval for the Scottish Office ELGIN project. Ashford Associates — Evaluation of text processing packages. Ashford Associates — Construction of a text storage data base for the Scottish Police College library. IBM—Systems Engineering Services. MSA — Installation of the MSA Accounts Payable and Receivable packages. CIPFA Services — To develop a specification of user requirements to assist local authorities in Scotland with the preparation for the community charge.