HC Deb 19 January 1996 vol 269 cc809-10W
Mr. Robin Cook

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has(a) read, collated or received and (b) authorised civil servants or any other person to read, collate or receive copies of draft sections of Sir Richard Scott's report circulated by Sir Richard Scott to Government Ministers, civil servants and other persons. [10213]

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

[holding answer 18 January 1996]: The handling of extracts of Sir Richard Scott's draft report, subject to guidance from the inquiry, is for those to whom they are sent. The Government do not disclose details of correspondence between the inquiry and individual witnesses.

Mr. Cook

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total cost of salaries since 1992 paid to persons in Her Majesty's Customs and Excise employed on a part-time or full-time basis in any connection in relation to the Scott inquiry. [10211]

Mr. Clarke

[holding answer 18 January 1996]: The staff costs of officials within HM Customs and Excise wholly employed on matters relating to the Scott inquiry since 1992 are approximately £443,000. The total staffing costs to date of the Department's Scott inquiry unit are estimated to be around £720,000. This does not include the unquantifiable costs of current and former Customs and Excise officials who acted as witnesses to the Scott inquiry who have been involved on an ad hoc basis.

Mr. Cook

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide a breakdown of the spending by his Department or by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise on external advice in relation to the Scott inquiry, including how much has been spent on legal advice and for whom. [10212]

Mr. Clarke

[holding answer 18 January 1996]: The amount so far spent by the Treasury on external advice in relation to Sir Richard Scott's inquiry is £2,468. Some £60,440 has been spent by HM Customs and Excise on external legal advice both for witnesses who are Customs officials and for independent counsel involved in the cases considered by the inquiry. The names of the individuals and their legal advisors are confidential to them.