§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 10 March,Official Report, column 576, how many outside contractors have been used for functions at 11 Downing street since 1987; if he will list them; and whether the contracts were put out to public tender.
§ Mr. NelsonInformation going back to 1987 is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The contractors engaged to provide catering services for official functions at 11 Downing street are selected from an approved list of contractors who have the necessary security clearance. For security reasons, these contracts are not usually put out to public tender.