London Economics (Hansard, 18 June 1999)

§ Mr. Gray
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will name the non-governmental consultees and advisers engaged by his Department to advise on the conduct of the research by London Economics into the Environmental Costs and Benefits of Aggregate Supply; and what his Department has paid to each for their services. [87098]

§ Mr. Caborn
Following the recommendation of an independent review of the initial work by London Economics, the Phase 2 research was assisted by an international group of experts on those aspects of research design involving contingent valuation techniques.
The group comprised: Ian Bateman of the University of East Anglia; Nick Hanley of the University of Edinburgh; Michael Hanemann of the University of California at Berkeley; Susana Mourato of Imperial College; Richard Ready of the University of Oslo; Toby Taper of MORI; and Ken Willis of Newcastle University.
The total amount paid to members of the group was £41,898 including fees and travel expenses. Their contracts do not provide for publication of their individual remuneration without consent.

§ Mr. Gray
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he received the final report by London Economics on the Environmental Costs and Benefits of Aggregates Supply. [87097]

§ Mr. Caborn
Copies of the final report were submitted to the Department on 26 May 1999.

§ Mr. Gray
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many contracts were awarded to London Economics for their study of the environmental effect of mineral extraction; and what has been the total sum of money, including expenses, paid by his Department to London Economics for each of the contracts. [87195]

§ Mr. Caborn
London Economics was paid £107,815 under a contract to carry out the study of the Environmental Costs and Benefits of the Supply of Aggregates published in April 1998. Further research, Phase 2 to be published in July 1999, has been undertaken under two contracts. £108,495 was paid under the first of 247W these and £301,665 under the second contract. The latter includes over £200,000 paid to sub-contractors for survey work. The contract sums exclude VAT.