§ Adam PriceTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list all Government(a) contracts and (b) consent awarded by the department to (i) Enron Corporation, (ii) Enron Europe and (iii) Arthur Andersen between May 1997 and December 2001. [31935]
§ Mr. WilsonContracts awarded during this period with Arthur Andersen were as follows:
- Joint reporting accountants on a study of a possible introduction of Public-Private partnership into British Nuclear Fuels Limited. The contract ran from October 2000 to December 2001
- Statistical study of the British Biotechnology industry. The contract ran from April 2001 to January 2002
62W
£ 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 Capita 217,921 279,486 24,693 35,785 Nil KPMG 4,650 100,000 25,000 Nil Nil PwC 145,945 157,406 18,800 110,837 38,888 Xansa 402,750 511,079 161,462 Nil Nil Deloitte & Touche Nil Nil Nil 828,239 921,761
- Framework arrangement for Work-Life Balance Challenge Fund projects. The contract runs from November 2000 to October 2002
- Review of CMI, Cambridge. The contract ran from June to December 2001
- High technology industry survey of foreign investors. The contract ran from September 2000 to March 2001.
- Study of UK competitive position. The contract runs from July 2000 to March 2002
- Research and updating of information sheets. The contract runs from January 2000 to December 2002.
These contracts were awarded following best departmental practice which involved obtaining competitive tenders and, where applicable, following EU procurement rules.
My department has no contracts with Enron Corporation or Enron Europe. Consents have been awarded under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 for the following facilities in which Enron Europe was involved:
- Extension to Sutton Bridge power station, 1997
- Isle of Grain power station, 2000
- Black Start facility at Teesside power station, 1998.
All these cases were scrutinised and determined in the usual way under the section 36 statutory process, taking account of the views of the local planning authority, statutory bodies, local people and any other person making representations to the Secretary of State.
§ Matthew TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the occasions since 1997 when(a) Ministers in her Department and (b) special advisers in her Department have discussed UK energy policy with members of the American Embassy in London; and if she will make a statement. [32507]
§ Ms HewittSuch discussions are covered by Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information and are thus confidential.