§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 23 May,Official Report, column 571, what is the total value of the housing consultancy work given to Aldbourne Associates on (a) the priority estates project and (b) housing options for Wales.
§ Mr. Nicholas BennettThe information for the years prior to 1989–90 cannot, within the time available, be provided in the form requested. I shall write to the hon. Gentleman in due course.
It is not possible to attribute every payment made to Aldbourne Associates in 1989–90. 1990–91 and 1991–92 precisely to PEP or to HOW. Since its launch in January 1990, housing options Wales has subsumed the priority estates project programme. It is estimated that payments totalling approximately £98,000 can reasonably be attributed to elements of HOW that are distinct from previous work on PEP. The residue of the sums referred to in the previous answer includes payments made in respect of PEP, and of the Department's alternatives for social housing (ASH) programme (also now subsumed within HOW). Payments readily attributable to ASH for these years total some £27,000.
§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 23 May,Official Report, column 571, whether Aldbourne Associates' contract was awarded subsequent to an open tender.
§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 23 May,Official Report, column 571, when Aldbourne Associate's main contract was awarded; what length of time it was scheduled to cover; and what subsequent ancillary contracts were awarded.
§ Mr. Nicholas BennettThe initial contract (with Miss C. Lesley Andrews, rather than with Aldbourne Associates Ltd.) was made in September 1983, in respect of work to be completed by 31 March 1986. Before the end of that period, the Department embarked upon the second phase of its PEP programme; a new contract was therefore made in November 1985, in respect of work to be completed by 31 March 1988. Subsequently, contracts were made in March 1988, 1989, 1990 and 1991 extending the application of the main work in line with the development of the Department's priority estates project, alternatives for social housing and housing options for Wales programmes.