§ Mr. McDonnellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what assessment he has made of the governmental inquiry into Mr. Douglas Andrew's role in the privatisation of New Zealand's steel industry in respect of the involvement of Mr. Andrew of the Civil Aviation Authority in advising the Government on the future of the National Air Traffic Services; [149597]
(2) pursuant to his answer of 5 February 2001, Official Report, columns 382–83W, if he will publish the minutes and notes of any working groups run by his Department on the economic regulatory and licensing regime for the NATS public-private partnership in which Mr. Douglas Andrew has participated; [149599]
(3) pursuant to his answer of 5 February 2001, Official Report, columns 382–83W, for what reasons Mr. Douglas Andrew has held meetings with the three potential partners during the bidding process; [149598]
149W(4) pursuant to his answer of 5 February 2001, Official Report, columns 382–83W, what steps were taken by the Government to satisfy itself that Mr. Douglas Andrew was the most appropriate person for reappointment in 2000 as the head of the Civil Aviation Authority's economic regulation group. [149596]
Mr. Robert AinsworthBefore reappointing Mr. Andrew in April 2000, the Government satisfied themselves as to his track record as a member of the Civil Aviation Authority. They saw, and continue to see, no reason to make further inquiries about Mr. Andrew's career prior to joining the CAA.
Mr. Andrew's meetings with the bidders for the role of strategic partner in the public-private partnership for National Air Traffic Services were to enable the bidders to discuss questions about the future economic regulatory process.
The working groups run by my Department, to which I referred in my earlier answer, were integral to the provision of advice to Ministers on the public-private partnership, and it would not be appropriate to publish the minutes.
§ Ms OsborneTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what consideration he is giving to selecting a strategic partner for the PPP for NATS on the basis of not-for-commercial-profit. [149848]
Mr. Robert AinsworthBids for the NATS PPP were received by the Government on 31 January 2001 from the three consortiums who were invited to submit offers in November 2000. These are NIMBUS, NOVARES and The Airline Group. These three bids are currently being assessed against the evaluation criteria provided to them in November 2000 and against the Government objectives for this PPP. The evaluation criteria and the Government objectives do not preclude any bid from being on the basis of not-for-commercial-profit.