HC Deb 30 October 1997 vol 299 c881W
26. Mr. Quinn

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made in attracting private participation in public investment projects. [12674]

Mr. Geoffrey Robinson

Implementation of the Bates review of the private finance initiative is streamlining the initiative, reducing costs to the public and private sectors and making such investment a much more attractive proposition. Recent major contracts, such as Dartford and Gravesham hospital and Clarendon school, provide real evidence of the benefits to be gained from public-private partnerships.