§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the progress of the PFI project at the National Physical Laboratory, Teddington; what the extent is of(a) delays from the original timetable and (b) cost overruns; and to what extent liability for failure to meet deadlines falls on the (i) Government and (ii) contractor. [45704]
§ Ms HewittThe new accommodation for the National Physical Laboratory is being handed over, as planned, in phases. Nine of 16 modules have been handed over.
The original date for completion of construction of the final module was 22 January 2001. The PFI Contractor's reported date for construction completion is now 12 November 2002.
Since this is a PFI project, construction cost overruns are a matter for the PFI Contractor and liability for failure to meet deadlines does not fall to Government.