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Contracts

Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many contracts for goods or services have been awarded by his Department and its executive agencies on the basis of single negotiated contracts in each of the last three years; if he will list the companies involved and the value of the contract in each case; what percentage this represented of contracts awarded by his Department and its agencies after competitive tendering; and, in each case, why the contracts were awarded on the basis of a single negotiated tender. [22874]

Mr. Hanley: The number of single negotiated contracts awarded in each of the last three years is not centrally available and collection of the associated data requested could be achieved only at disproportionate cost.

Russia

Mr. Elletson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last discussed the Russian assault on Sernovodsk with the Russian Government; and if he will make a statement. [22928]

Sir Nicholas Bonsor: We and our EU partners continue to make known our deep concerns about the continuing violence in Chechnya, most recently in the Foreign Affairs Council declaration of 25 March 1996, which refers specifically to events in Sernovodsk.

Competitive Tendering

Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what guidelines are currently in force in his Department and its executive agencies relating to competitive tendering and the use of single negotiated tenders; on what grounds single negotiated tenders can be used; and what procedures are in place within his Department to ensure that the use of single negotiated tenders in competitive tendering processes is justified in all cases. [22858]

Mr. Hanley: The Government's public purchasing policy consolidated guidelines require goods and services to be acquired by competition unless there are convincing reasons to the contrary. In addition, the EC procurement directives and the world trade organisation Government procurement agreement require most contracts above specified thresholds to be graded following competition, subject to certain specified exceptions.

Guidelines in force in the Department and the Overseas Development Administration and its executive agency reflects best purchasing practice and advocate the use of competition as an essential ingredient for the achievement of value for money for the Department, the ODA and the taxpayer. At the same time, the guidelines acknowledge that in certain circumstances it may be necessary to purchase from a single provider, either by negotiation with a monopoly or otherwise to standardise equipment or take account of (1) only one source being available for technical or quality reasons; (2) repair of original manufacture; (3) repeat order, where the supplier has the tooling, designs or artwork etc; (4) the only supplier responding to a competitive invitation to tender; (5) extreme urgency arising from circumstances outside the Department's control; (6) low value; or

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(7) additional costs outweighing the benefit of renewed competition, takin into account the complexity of the service, the resources originally committed to setting it up and the cost effectiveness of change.

It is standard practice for the reasons which justify single tender action to be recorded and approved at a senior level in advance of awarding a contract.

Indonesia

Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if the Government are funding, in whole or in part, training schemes, (a) in the Untied Kingdom and (b) elsewhere, involving members of the Indonesian special forces, the Indonesian military, police or security forces; [23056]

(2) what specific questions participants in training schemes, which Her Majesty's Government have funded in whole or in part in other countries involving members of the Indonesian special forces--Kopassus--or the Indonesian military, police or security forces, were asked about their past activities with regard to human rights considerations. [23053]

Mr. David Davis: Details of training under the United Kingdom military training assistance scheme are confidential between Governments.

Cuba

Mr. Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the implications for United Kingdom relations with (a) the United States of America and (b) Cuba of the Cuba Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (Libertad) Act. [23075]

Sir Nicholas Bonsor: We have made clear to the US Administration our concern about the Helms-Burton Act. We will be urging them to use discretion in the way in which they implement the legislation, and will take whatever action we can to protect our legitimate trading interests. As my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs said in the House on 20 March, Official Report, columns 332-36, our policy towards Cuba remains the same.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

Disabled Football Supporters

Mr. Fatchett: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what plans she has to discuss with (a) the authorities at Wembley stadium and (b) professional football clubs access for disabled supporters; and if she will make a statement. [22426]

Mr. Sproat [holding answer 26 March 1996]: I have no such plans. The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 creates new rights of access for disabled people. All goods, facilities and services provided to the public are covered by these rights, including those provided in sports stadia. The Act places a duty on service providers to make adjustments to their premises, where reasonable, to make them more accessible. The Government are currently consulting on the timetable for implementing the rights of access.

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The Football Licensing Authority already encourages football clubs to meet the standards set out in the Government's guide to safety at sports grounds and the Football Stadia Advisory Design Council's best practice guidelines, which both include recommendations relating to spectators with disabilities. The Football Trust is also keen to encourage clubs to aim for the highest possible standard for spectators with disabilities, and always takes particular account of facilities for such spectators when looking at applications from clubs for grant assistance towards new redevelopment projects.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

Research Establishments

Mrs. Anne Campbell: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department which former public sector research establishments in his Department have been privatised since 1979; and which public sector research establishments in his Department are currently undergoing reviews with a view to placing them in the private sector. [21943]

Mr. Jonathan Evans: The Lord Chancellor's Department has none.

Legal Aid (Marchioness Incident)

Mrs. Lait: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (1) what was the value of work covered by legal aid for work by senior counsel, junior counsel or instructing solicitor in the Marchioness case before commencement of representations by the grantees on 13 March 1995; [21978]

(2) what were the full terms, and date, of directions given by him, or on his behalf, in the context of the Marchioness legal aid grant under section 4(4)(a) of the Legal Aid Act 1968; [21976]

(3) what was the daily or hourly rate for senior counsel, junior counsel and the instructing solicitor in the Marchioness legal aid grant; [21980]

(4) what was the date of the grant of £200,000 given in legal aid to those involved in the Marchioness disaster;[21975]

(5) what is the total amount paid or to be paid under the grant for the Marchioness inquest as assessed by the Legal Aid Board when satisfied that the work, as outlined in the estimate, had been carried out; [21979]

(6) if the Marchioness legal aid grant (a) was intended to and (b) did cover payment for any work by senior counsel, junior counsel or instructing solicitor acting for the grantees before the commencement of representations from the grantees on 13 March 1995. [21977]

Mr. Jonathan Evans: The direction given to the Legal Aid Board in respect of the Marchioness grant was made on 10 March 1995. The terms of the direction were as follows:

"To make a grant of up to £200,000 to the firm of Christian Fisher to cover the costs of representation for the families involved in the Marchioness disaster at the forthcoming inquest. The grant is to be made from the legal aid fund under the powers given by Section 4(2)(b) of the Legal Aid Act 1988."

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A number of conditions were also made under the direction. These were: that no further public funds would be made available; that the grant would enable any of the families involved who wished to be represented to have representation; that representation would cover the whole of the inquest; that there would be no claims on the grant other than those channelled through the firm of Christian Fisher; and that the grant would be released only on the production of detailed bills of costs demonstrating that the work had been carried out.

The direction was given following representations made to the Lord Chancellor on behalf of the families concerned on 21 February 1995. The grant was a global figure, based on estimates submitted by the families' solicitors, for work by the solicitors, senior and junior counsel and two experts. The grant was intended to, and did, cover urgent preparatory work in the four days immediately preceding the start of the inquest on 13 March 1995.

On receipt of bills submitted by the solicitors, the Legal Aid Board satisfied itself that work up to the value of £200,000 had been carried out, and paid that sum on 30 June 1995 to the firm of Christian Fisher.

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