HC Deb 10 April 2002 vol 383 cc66-7W
Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the(a)private finance initiative and (b)public private partnership projects which have been delayed. [44876]

Mr. MacShane

PFI contracts to build a new Embassy in Berlin and to establish the FCO telecommunications network were both delayed by nine months against our original timetables.

Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the total external spending by his Department was on public private partnership consultants in each of the last four years; how many full-time equivalent consultants were employed over this period; how many billed consultancy days there were per year; what the implied average cost of each PPP consultant was; how many consultancy firms were used by his Department over this period; and if he will make a statement. [43192]

Mr. MacShane

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 31 January 2002,Official Report,column 493W.

Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the difference was between the price offered in reaching preferred bidder stage and the final contract price for PPP contracts let by his Department in each of the last four years; and if he will make a statement. [45607]

Mr. MacShane

[holding answer 25 March 2002]:The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not entered into any PPP deals during the past four years.

Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the difference was between the price offered in reaching preferred bidder stage and the final contract price for the five largest PFI contracts let by his Department in each of the last four years; and if he will make a statement. [45592]

Mr. MacShane

[holding answer 25 March 2002]:The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has let two PFI Contracts during the last four years:

A contract to build a new Embassy in Berlin was let in June 1998. After selection of the preferred bidder the contract cost did not change.

A contract for the FCO Telecommunications Network (FTN) was let in May 2000. After selection of the preferred bidder the contract cost decreased from £111 million to £106 million (Net Present Value).