HC Deb 12 April 1994 vol 241 cc96-7W
Mr. Cousins

To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether any of the consultants retained by him on the Post Office review have advised him of conflicts of interest.

Mr. Heseltine

On a number of occasions the consultants have approached the Department to determine whether work which they were contemplating undertaking for other clients would create a conflict of interest. Each such case has been considered and decided on its merits.

Mr. Cousins

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much has been spent on consultancies relevant to(a) the review of the Post Office and Parcelforce, (b) the review of the DTI research laboratories and the Atomic Energy Authority and (c) the review of the Accounts Services Agency, the Patent Office, Companies House and the Insolvency Service Agency in each of the calendar years 1992 and 1993; and how such expenditures are recorded in MINIS returns.

Mr. Eggar

Total expenditure on consultancy advice relating to the Post Office review and privatisation of Parcelforce amounted to £411,624.12 in the calendar year 1992 and £854,651.35 in 1993. On each of the other reviews a single company was appointed and the individual fees paid to these are commercially confidential. This expenditure is not recorded separately in MINIS. It can be found as part of the running costs or programme budget, as appropriate, in the form "0" of the relevant management unit's MINIS return.

Mr. Cousins

To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether consultants continue to be employed on the review of Parcelforce and the Post Office; on what occasions such consultancies have been subject to renewal or renegotiations; and whether competitive tenders were sought on every such occasion.

Mr. McLoughlin

All appointments of consultants in connection with the Post Office review and the

Current public expenditure period
Past launch aid 1983–84 to 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98
Payments—£ million cash
British Aerospace 696.4 (878.9) 0 0 0 0
Rolls Royce 146.1 (234.4) 0 0 0 0
Westland 87.5 (119.5) 2 0 0 0
Shorts 0 0 20 2.5 0
Receipts—£ million cash
British Aerospace 173.5 (182.4) 28.9 34.0 53.5 53.5
Rolls Royce 240.9 (291.8) 22.8 34.8 24.9 24.9
Westland 0 0 0 0 0
Shorts 0 0 5 2.5 0

Notes:

  1. 1. Constant/current prices are in brackets.
  2. 2. Constant/current prices are deflated to 1992–93, most recent Treasury deflator index.