§ Mr. ByersTo ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to her answer of 20 January,Official Report, column 720, on what date she was informed of the allegations made concerning the Student Loans Company; what was the nature of these allegations; at what date management consultants were invited to tender to carry out an investigation into the allegations; if she will identify those consultants who were invited to tender; which consultant submitted the lowest tender; on what date the contract was awarded; on what date the provisional findings were received; and if she will place a copy in the Library.
§ Mr. BoswellMy right hon. Friend was informed of the most recent allegations of impropriety at the Student Loans Company on 5 October 1994. Tenders for the contract to carry out an investigation were invited from three organizations—Robson Rhodes, Ernst and Young and Coopers and Lybrand—on 10 October 1994.
The contract was awarded to Coopers and Lybrand on 12 October. The winning tender was not the lowest. The contract was awarded to the tenderer who was considered to offer the best value for money. Lowest cost alone is not necessarily the best indicator of this.
My right hon. Friend received a report of Coopers and Lybrand's provisional findings on 9 January 1995. The investigation into the allegations is not complete. It would not be appropriate for me to comment on the nature of allegations which are still under investigation, nor to make public provisional findings. The full conclusions of the investigation will be reported to the Public Accounts Committee in the usual way.