To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what discussions he has had with the consortiums bidding for the Sellafield nuclear clean-up on the timetable for selecting the preferred bidder and awarding the contract; and if he will make a statement. (195168)

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has had no discussions with the bidders on any aspect of the competition for the Sellafield Parent Body Organisation (PBO). To do so would be completely inappropriate.

On 21 December 2007, as planned, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) announced that invitations to submit final tenders had been issued for the Sellafield PBO. This followed the completion of eight months of competitive dialogue with the four bidders. Responses are scheduled to be returned to the NDA in spring 2008, and an announcement of the winning PBO bidder is expected to be made in summer 2008.