§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy how much his Department spent on advice on electricity privatisation in 1990–91; whether that sum includes the cost of the share information office; and if he will give details of any other expenditure incurred in 1990–91 in pursuit of electricity privatisation.
§ Mr. WakehamFinal figures for 1990–91 will be published in the Appropriation Account later this year. It is estimated that the Department spent £52.1 million on advice on electricity privatisation in 1990–91, an amount which does not include the cost of the share information office, and a further £204.4 million on other expenses, principally the setting up and operation of the receiving banks, the design, printing and distribution of the prospectuses together with various fees and commissions, marketing costs and stamp duty.
§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list those companies still advising him on electricity privatisation, giving the topics on which they are advising him and the expected end date of their contracts.
§ Mr. WakehamThe provision of advice remains necessary in a limited number of areas and in connection with the remaining elements of the sales, for example the instalment arrangements; the relevant contracts will be terminated at the appropriate time. The information relating to the contractors and topics concerned is:
Adviser Topic Touche Ross Audit services Slaughter and May Legal Williams Lea Printing advice Wood Gundy Canadian financial Goldman Sachs United States financial Credit Suisse/First Boston European financial Nomura Japanese financial Osler Renault Ladner Canadian legal Davis Polk and Wardwell United States legal Anderson Mori and Rabinowitz Japanese legal