§ Mr. SalmondTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many departmental minutes issued by his Department were outstanding on 30 November 2002 that referred to public-private partnerships, as included in Table B14 of the Consolidated Fund and National Loans Fund Accounts; and what their value was. [89423]
§ Hilary Benn[holding answer 13 January 2003]: The contingent liabilities associated with the Home Department's public-private partnerships at 30 November 2002 were as follows:
- 1. Her Majesty's Prison Service—The Crown acts as insurer of last resort in respect of contracts to design, construct, manage and finance new prisons. The liability runs for the construction period plus an operational period of 25 years in respect of each new prison. Amount: unquantifiable;
- 2. Police Information and Technology Unit—The Airwave Project with 02 (formerly the mobile communications arm of BT) for the Police Service. The estimated costs of termination range from £480 million to more than £700 million. There would also be additional costs associated with the introduction of an alternative to Airwave;
- 3. Home Office Pay and Pension Service—Covering the potential loss of Home Office funds transmitted using the contractor's equipment. The risk is small as the contract includes all the usual safeguards for the authorisation process required by the Bankers Automated Clearing System.
Potential, but unlikely, largest single risk £80 million; and
4. The Home Office contract with Sirius for providing computer services. The estimated costs of termination range from £14.14 million to £33.62 million.