HC Deb 18 February 1997 vol 290 cc448-50W
Mr. Raynsford

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) at which meetings of the Building Research Establishment management board, held(a) prior to 8 December 1996, (b) between 8 and 20 December 1996 and (c) since 20 December 1996, members of his Department's BRE privatisation team were present; [16490]

(2) at which meetings of the Building Research Establishment management board held (a) prior to 8 December 1996, (b) between 8 and 20 December 1996 and (c) since 20 December 1996 members of the in-house bid team were present; [16491]

(3) which members of the Building Research Establishment management board are also members of the in-house bid team; [16492]

(4) if he will list the meetings of the Building Research Establishment management board which were attended by members of his Department's BRE privatisation team at which members of the BRE management board who were also involved in the BRE in-house bid team were present. [16541]

Mr. Robert B. Jones

All members of the BRE management board are members of the management bid team. Since the management bid team was authorised to enter the competition for the purchase of BRE, a member of the team of officials established by the Department to transfer BRE to the private sector has attended each meeting of the BRE management board. The meetings were held on 25 November 1996, 20 December 1996 and 27 January 1997.

Mr. Raynsford

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all the occasions during the past three years on which Ministers have met members of the staff of the Building Research Establishment, the names of all those who attended the meetings and the subjects discussed on each occasion. [16493]

Mr. Jones

In the past three years, Ministers have visited the Building Research Establishment for the following occasionsMinister for Housing and Planning, 16 May 1994, to open the Conseil International de Bâtiment international conference on the environment. Minister for Construction and Planning, 5 February 1996, to see the first use of recycled aggregate in the foundations of the new energy efficiency building. Minister for Construction and Planning, 12 June 1996, to seal a time capsule in the new building and to open the new Burn hall.

Ministers have paid routine visits to BRE, to see at first hand the work BRE does, as follows: Secretary of State for the Environment, 17 June 1994 Minister for Construction and Planning, 30 March 1995 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Hertsmere (Mr. Clappison), 13 September 1996.

The Secretary of State for the Environment and the Minister for Construction and Planning attended opening events to mark the BRE's 75th anniversary in London on 13 May 1996, and the Under-Secretary of State, Scottish Office, the hon. Member for Aberdeen, South (Mr. Robertson), attended the closing events in Glasgow on 3 October 1996.

On these occasions the Ministers took the opportunity to discuss operations across the establishment with a range of staff. Additionally, Ministers meet members of staff from time to time in the course of normal departmental business, and at meetings, seminars and other functions organised by the construction industry and other interests.

Mr. Raynsford

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations his Department has received about the possibility of the Building Research Establishment in-house bid team(a) having access to more information than the external bidders and (b) being treated in a different way to the external bidder in relation to meetings with other interested parties. [16489]

Mr. Jones

None. The Department has taken all reasonable steps to ensure a level playing field between all bidders.