DafT profligacy knows no bounds

This shameless answer to a PQ from Moley

Written answers and statements, 10 November 2009

Chris Mole (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Transport; Ipswich, Labour)

There have been a very small number of instances during the last 12 months where tendering exercises have been cancelled prior to the award of the contract and thereby costs have been incurred with no contract awarded. For the Department for Transport, this would normally amount to the effort expended on the procurement exercise before its cancellation. The precise number and costs involved are not recorded.

The occasion where the Department has incurred nugatory costs was for the procurement of a fleet of new build diesel rolling stock which ceased in July, as it was superseded by the Government's announcement on rail electrification. The costs incurred for the use of external advisors was £1.6 million.

The Department has not reimbursed any supplier during the last 12 months for costs that they have incurred as a result of tendering for any contract advertised by the Department where the award process for that contract was subsequently cancelled.

Why for that amount you could have travelled with Arriva Cross Country from Newquay to Fort William almost 1,597 times!

UPDATE: This from Tom West...

So, the Department considers £1.6milllion to be 'nugatory' - a word which Google says means "of little or no importance; trifling, worthless".

Nice to see that it takes more than seven figures to be financially significant in the Department's eyes.