§ Mr. GrahamTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the Clydewest 2000 employee buyout group is treated as a legitimate potential bidder for Western Scottish Omnibuses Limited; and whether it is allowed the same free access to financial information for the employee buyout bid as is being allowed Western Scottish Omnibuses Limited.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonIt is the responsibility of the Scottish Transport Group to implement the 583W Scottish Bus Group disposal programme. After Western Scottish Omnibuses Limited is advertised for sale in due course, an information memorandum, which will include financial information, will be made available to all prospective purchasers of that company who can demonstrate that they have sufficient financial backing, or the prospect of sufficient backing, to mount a serious bid and provided that they have signed and returned a confidentiality undertaking in relation to the use of the information memorandum. I understand that Clydewest 2000 has registered its interests in Western Scottish with the Scottish Transport Group, and the group will therefore contact Clydewest 2000 when the company is being offered for sale.