§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy which consultants are to advise him on the location of the petroleum engineering division; when they were appointed; what tendering process was followed; how many firms submitted tenders; whether the winning firm submitted the lowest tender; what are their terms of reference; and what fee they will receive.
§ Mr. WakehamMy Department will be seeking tenders from a range of consultants to review the location of the petroleum engineering directorate. I shall announce who is to carry out the review as soon as the consultants have been chosen.
§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy when Rothschild's and Touche Ross, respectively, were appointed to advise him on coal privatisation; what tendering process was followed; whether Rothschild's and Touche Ross submitted the lowest tenders; what are their terms of reference; and what fees they are to receive.
§ Mr. WakehamN. M. Rothschild & Sons Limited 'was appointed as financial advisers on the privatisation of British Coal on 30 May 1991. Touche Ross was appointed as accounting advisers on 12 June 1991. Both appointments were made by competitive tender. Details of the tenders submitted and of the fees paid to Government advisers are commercially confidential. Total expenditure on coal privatisation will be reported to Parliament in the usual way through the publication of departmental estimates and the annual appropriation accounts. Rothschild and Touche Ross have been appointed to provide advice on the possible options for the sale of British Coal. No firm decisions on the sale of the industry will be taken until after the next general election.