APPENDIX 7: MEMORANDA FROM THE DEPARTMENT
FOR TRANSPORT (continued)
8. LETTER TO THE CLERK FROM
DAVID ROWLANDS, PERMANENT SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT FOR TRANSPORT,
5 DECEMBER 2005 [BYERS.24]
I am writing with some further information following
my appearance on 29 November.
The Committee asked for any separate briefing prepared
for the Opposition day debate which took place on 13 November
2001. In fact essentially the same brief was prepared for both
the debate and Mr Byers' appearance before the Committee. You
will see that this was so from the index note at flag A prepared
by Mr Byers' private office.[164]
You will also see from the final paragraph of the note it was
clearly the case that a morning was cleared in Mr Byers' diary
in order to allow him to prepare for the Committee. There were
however some notes and other briefing specifically prepared for
the opposition day debate. These are at Annex B.[165]
We can find no record of any wash up session after
the committee hearing. This is unsurprising. In my experience
of committee hearings I cannot readily recollect any formal wash
up. At most, it is usually confined to a few minutes in the corridor
outside the committee room.
The Committee referred to the fact that on the day
after the Transport Select Committee, Chris Grayling MP raised
a point of order about the evidence given to the Committee and
previous statements by Mr Byers in the House of Commons. The point
of order was solely to do with what had been said at a meeting
between Mr Byers and John Robinson, Railtrack Chairman, on 25
July 2001. In response to this and to a request made by the Clerk
to the Committee, the Department's record of this meeting along
with a covering note was sent to the Committee on 27 November
2001. A copy of this attached at C.[166]
Finally, I attach at flag D for your information
a full list of parliamentary events relating to Railtrack entering
administration.[167]
5 December 2005
164 Not printed (see list of unpublished memoranda.) Back
165
Not printed (see list of unpublished memoranda.) Back
166
Not printed (see list of unpublished memoranda.) Back
167
Not printed (see list of unpublished memoranda.) Back
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