§ Mr. Jon Owen JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will list the payments made in accordance with the Welsh Development Agency redundancy scheme between 1983 and 1989;
(2) if he will list all Welsh Development Agency redundancy payments made in excess of the approved redundancy scheme between 1983 and 1989.
§ Mr. RedwoodThe Department gave approval to redundancy terms for the agency to use in 1983. My Department was not notified of individual payments made during the period 1983 to 1989. I have asked the chairman for details of such payments and I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.
§ Mr. Jon Owen JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what written guidance or observations the Welsh Office gave to the Welsh Development Agency regarding the redundancy payment to Mr. Price, the former director of Winvest and WDI; and when it was given.
§ Mr. RedwoodThe Department wrote to the agency on 25 November 1991 when the case of Mr. Price first came to light. The Department subsequently wrote on 19 February 1992 requiring the agency to refer further cases of redundancy to the Department.
§ Mr. Jon Owen JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what guidance was given to the Welsh Development Agency regarding lease car schemes; when Treasury central unit on purchasing guidelines became available to the Welsh Office; and when these were sent to the Welsh Development Agency.
§ Mr. RedwoodThe Department gave approval to the agency's car leasing scheme on 27 April 1987. Treasury CUP guidelines were issued in November 1990 and those were sent to the agency in February 1992 when it was considering changes to its approved car leasing scheme.
§ Mr. Jon Owen JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what guidance was given to the Welsh Development Agency between 1983 and 1992 regarding redundancy arrangements after the Welsh Development Agency entered the Mid-Glamorgan pension fund.
§ Mr. RedwoodThe Department wrote to the agency on 12 April 1983 asking for notice of proposed actions on redundancy; details of additional payments; and stating that the terms of redundancy payments must conform to public sector standards.
The Department wrote subsequently, on 29 June 1983, in response to an agency proposal put to the Department on 1 June 1983, giving approval to the agency's redundancy arrangements.
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§ Mr. Jon Owen JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if his Department authorised the payment of moneys for redundancy by the Welsh Development Agency in excess of those authorised by the Welsh Development Agency redundancy scheme.
§ Mr. RedwoodThe Department gave retrospective approval to excess payments identified by the NAO in connection with the agency's 1991–92 accounts.