§ Mr. ByersTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to release details of the advice given by civil servants to the Secretary of State for Energy in 1991 on the awarding of the contract for advice on the privatisation of the coal industry to the National Audit Office. [20513]
§ Mr. PageThe National Audit Office has access to all the relevant papers on the appointment of N. M. Rothschild as advisers to the Government on coal privatisation.
§ Mr. ByersTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if any of the information concerning the reasons for awarding the consultancy contract on the privatisation of the coal industry to N. M. Rothschild, the advice given by civil servants to Ministers, the terms on which the contract was awarded, how value for money was to be judged and subsequent costs controlled is held in files marked as being not for National Audit Office eyes. [20514]
§ Mr. ByersTo ask the President of the Board of Trade on what date his Department became aware that Mr. Richard Budge had provided advice to N. M. Rothschild and Son on matters relating to the privatisation of the coal industry. [20515]
§ Mr. PageIn connection with the privatisation of the coal mining operations of British Coal the Department and N. M. Rothschild and Sons Ltd. held discussions with a wide selection of then existing and prospective coal industry participants, including Mr. Budge, in the period prior to the submission of tenders for the regional coal companies in September 1994. At no time has Mr. Budge provided advice to N. M. Rothschild and Sons Ltd.