§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what criteria he used to select the consultancy organisation that produced the trans-Pennine study strategy commissioned by his Department.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleAs with any such consultancy award, the ability to deliver the work set out in the study brief at a competitive cost.
§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what penalty was provided in the contract with the consultancy responsible for producing the trans-Pennine study strategy report for failure to deliver the report on time.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleThese kinds of commissions do not include a specific penalty for poor performance. If a consultant does not comply with the Department's requirements this would be taken into account when selecting tenderers for future commissions.
The time scale for delivery of this report was adjusted when the scope of the study was extended.
§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 19 February,Official 234W Report, column 385, if he will list the organisations that tendered for the trans-Pennine study strategy commissioned by his Department, and the estimated cost of producing the report which was put forward by each organisation.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleWe received tenders from Transportation Planning Associates, the MVA Consultancy, Alastair Dick and Associates and Wootton Jeffreys. The value of each tender is a commercially sensitive matter which we do not divulge.