To ask Her Majesty's Government which external companies have been used for consultancy and advisory work by UK Financial Investments Limited; and what payments have been made to those companies. [HL3083]

UK Financial Investments (UKFI) operates at arm's length from Government and on a commercial basis. UKFI's expenditure will be set out in its financial statements, in accordance with the Companies Act and accounting rules, as part of its annual report and accounts each year.

HM Treasury agreed UKFI's overall budget for 2009-10 at £4.5 million, as set out in the UKFI business plan, available at www.ukfi.co.uk. This is a small fraction of the total investments for which UKFI is responsible.

In determining which supplier or contractor UKFI selects, it is necessary that this supplier meets the criteria set out in the business case and the request for proposal (RFP) to a level that maximises the value for money for UKFI.

Factors that UKFI consider include:

quality of goods;

experience of personnel;

price;

timetable for delivery; and

value-added services included in price over and above the RFP.

Decisions will not necessarily be based on lowest price but will be based on a combination of the factors set out above.

To ask Her Majesty's Government which external companies have been used for consultancy and advisory work by the Asset Protection Agency and its predecessor body; and what payments have been made to those companies. [HL3084]

The Asset Protection Agency has received advice from Slaughter and May, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Oliver Wyman, KPMG, Ernst & Young, BlackRock, Kreab Gavin Anderson and S. Com.

The Asset Protection Agency's annual accounts will include a robust, audited number for consultancy and advisory costs and will be available in the summer. The cost to the Asset Protection Agency of these advisory services will be fully met by RBS.