To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent contacts they have had with Impregilo, the preferred bidder to build an airport in St Helena; what were the results of those contacts; and what assessment they have made of the impact on the bidding process of the pause in negotiations announced in December 2008 [HL3804]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development, Mike Foster, met representatives of Impregilo S.p.A. on 10 February 2009 to set out the reasons for the pause in contract negotiations. Impregilo S.p.A. has continued to extend the validity date of its tender so that its bid remains open.