§ Mr. WilsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what part Sir Christopher Foster played in the Coopers and Lybrand bid for the consultancy contracts to establish a charging regime for track users during the time he acted as his special adviser.
§ Mr. FreemanNone.
§ Mr. WilsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 25 November,Official Report, column 102, what assessment he has now made of whether Sir Christopher Foster avoided any conflict of interest during his role as his special adviser.
§ Mr. FreemanMy right hon. Friend is satisfied that there was no conflict of interest.
§ Mr. WilsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether Sir Christopher Foster's advice to him on rail privatisation included advice on the track access charging regime during the period that Coopers and Lybrand was bidding for or undertaking consultancy contracts on the charging regime.
§ Mr. FreemanSir Christopher Foster provided advice on railway restructuring and privatisation generally. He played no part directly or indirectly in the letting or management of any consultancy contracts.
§ Mr. WilsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what were the achievements of Sir Christopher Foster as his special adviser on rail privatisation.
§ Mr. FreemanSir Christopher fulfilled his remit to provide my right hon. Friend with expert advice on rail privatisation matters.
§ Mr. WilsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the final sum paid to Coopers and Lybrand in connection with its work on advising about a track access charging system.
§ Mr. FreemanI refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras (Mr. Dobson) on 14 July,Official Report, columns 724–27.