§ Mr. MansTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport which of the shortlisted bidders he has selected as the purchaser of the Transport Research Laboratory; and if he will make a statement. [10621]
§ Mr. NorrisThe Government have selected the Transport Research Foundation as the preferred purchaser for the final negotiations on the sale of the Transport Research Laboratory. The foundation includes members of TRL's existing management and is seeking to acquire TRL as a non-profit distributing company. Although the competing bid from the consortium of Pell Frischmann Consulting Engineers Ltd., Mouchel Associates Ltd., the Automobile Association and the Royal Automobile Club was strong, the foundation's bid was judged better to meet the objectives for the sale announced by the then Secretary of State on 14 March 1995.
We expect to complete the sale of TRL by the end of February.