Written question asked by Robin Cook (Labour), in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Friday, 14 February 1997. It was answered by Lord Lang of Monkton (Conservative) on Friday, 14 February 1997 on behalf of the Department of Trade and Industry.

Dept of Trade and Industry

Question: If he will provide a breakdown of the spending by his Department on external advice in relation to the Scott Inquiry, indicating how much has been spent on legal advice and from whom it was obtained. - (Holding answer 6 February 1997).

Answer: Mr. Robin Cook: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will provide a breakdown of the spending by his Department on external advice in relation to the Scott inquiry, indicating how much has been spent on legal advice and from whom it was obtained. [14531] Mr. Lang: [holding answer 6 February 1997]: The amount spent by my Department on external advice in relation to giving evidence to the Scott inquiry and the preparation of the Government's response to it is £771,974. The whole of this amount was for legal advice and included £80,307 representing the value of legal services charged by the Treasury Solicitor's Department. It also includes £127,870 for the costs of legal advice for independent witnesses which were paid for by Sir Richard Scott's inquiry and therefore fell to this Department. External legal advice was obtained from Alistair Thompson and Partners, Barnett Alexander Chart, Beechcroft Stanleys, Blythe Liggins, Hamilton Burns and Moore, Harris Rosenblatt and Kramer, Herbert Smith, Irwin Mitchell, Mr. Gordon Jackson, Kingsley Napley, Mr. S. Richards and Russell Jones and Walker.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 14531; 290 c327-8W
Session: 1996-97
Subjects: Department of Trade and Industry Expenditure Government departments Legal opinion Arms to Iraq Inquiry
Contains statistics: Yes