HC Deb 24 June 1994 vol 245 cc336-7W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many contracts and for what total sum were let out by his Department or agencies for which it is responsible to(a) Coopers and Lybrand, (b) KPMG Peat Marwick, (c) Ernst and Young, (d) Price Waterhouse, (e) Arthur Andersen, (f) Touche Ross, (g) Grant Thornton, (h) Robson Rhodes and (i) Pannell Kerr Forster for (i) privatisation, (ii) market testing, (iii) management advice, (iv) accounting, (v) audit, (vi) consultancy and (vii) any other services in 1980 to 1983, 1984 to 1987, 1988 to 1991 and 1992 to 1993.

Mr. Forth

The information for the periods 1980 to 1983 and 1984 to 1987 is not available, and the information requested for the periods 1988 to 1991 and 1992 to 1993 broken down in the format could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

The total number of contracts and the value of those contracts with the companies referred to for the periods 1988 to 1991 and 1992 to 1993 is as follows:

1988 to 1991
Contracts £
Coopers and Lybrand 17 387,500
KPMG Peat Marwick 11 525,000
Ernst and Young 2 51,000
Price Waterhouse 2 61,000
Touche Ross 6 235,000
Robson Rhodes 1 22,250

No contracts were placed in this period with Arthur Anderson, Grant Thornton and Pannell Kerr Forster.

1992 to 1993
Company Contracts £
Coopers and Lybrand 12 1,708,000
KPMG Peat Marwick 9 236,500
Ernst and Young 2 51,000
Price Waterhouse 5 111,500
Touche Ross 4 116,500

No contracts were placed in this period with Arthur Anderson, Grant Thornton, Robson Rhodes and Pannell Kerr Forster.