§ Mr. BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer of 26 October 2000,Official Report, column 156W, on Robert Maxwell, what arrangements are in place to ensure that the inspectors appointed on 8 June 1992 under the Companies Acts to investigate the affairs and membership of Mirror Group Newspapers plc are providing value for money. [136713]
§ Dr. Howells[holding answer 6 November 2000]: The inspectors act independently of Government and are
masters of their own procedure".However in all Companies Act inspections (including this case) the inspectors maintain regular contact with departmental officials regarding the progress of the inspection and provide detailed analyses in support of claims for costs and expenses.