§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what policies his Department operates about the employment on privatisation of accountancy firms criticised in his Department's reports on Companies Act inquiries; how these are enforced; and what rules he lays down about the use of individual accountants and practices criticised in these reports.
§ Mr. RedwoodFirms, including accountancy firms, are invited to tender for the provision of advisory services to the Department on the basis of its assessment of their suitability to provide those services. In making its assessment, the Department pays due regard to adverse criticisms of individual firms particularly where they might be relevant to the particular work for which the firms could be invited to tender.