Hammond Eggs - I've got a little secret

As Leonard Cohen used to sing: I've got a little secret!

A tune evidently close to the heart of Eye favourite Stephen 'Gone-native' Hammond, as evidenced by this written answer given on the 26th November: 

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 4 November 2013, Official Report, column 45W, on railways: south west, for what reasons lease costs for rolling stock are considered to be commercially sensitive. 

Stephen Hammond: The leasing costs for rolling stock are the result of negotiations between two private sector commercial entities, the train operating company and the rolling stock leasing company. Putting such information in the public sphere would give advantage to each party's competitors and hinder future negotiations between such commercial entities throughout the industry. 

Hmm... Advantage and Hinder?

Surely the name of an act in this year's DfT Christmas panto?

No matter!

Of course the real hindrance 'to future negotiations' on allocation of scarce trains is done by DfT's random-rolling-stock-cascade-generator, which inhibits the effective operation of the entire train leasing market.

A point made transparently clear from section 25 on page 9 of the summary section of the Competition Commission's 2007 'Rolling Stock Leasing market investigation'. 

Go figure!

Can you put a value on Goodwill?

Read it and weep.

This from the Beeb yesterday... 

The minister overseeing the HS2 rail project has issued an official correction after getting muddled over the size of his department's budget.

Robert Goodwill suggested in the Commons last week that the transport department's overall budget was £50bn. The actual figure is less than £13bn. 

Only £37bn out. 

FFS!

Hammond Eggs - On how not to hold a TOC to account

Another gem from the minister for rail!

Given as a written answer on the 4th November...

Stephen Hammond (Wimbledon, Conservative)
It was never the intention to use the historic performance of directly operated railways as a comparator for future franchise bids. The nature of rail operations means that their circumstances change over time with infrastructure and rolling stock investment as well as changes in track access charges and the performance of the wider economy, which makes comparing any franchise to another or even to historical data on itself imprudent.

However, as with all franchise competitions, the Department has developed a comparator model to assess franchise bids against that is informed by base data from the current operator. 

What's that sound? It's the sound of DfT taking a chainsaw to the only believable benchmark of a new operators' performance! 

Hammond Eggs - On Open Access

Time for an exciting new Eye feature!

Hammond Eggs records the searing insights of the latest member of the ministerial transport team to take responsibility for rail.

This from a written answer on the 14th October:

Christopher Pincher (Tamworth, Conservative)
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the contribution of open-access operators on the East Coast Main Line in support of the franchised operator.

Stephen Hammond (Wimbledon, Conservative)
The impacts of open access operation have been assessed against three criteria: (a) performance; (b) network utilisation; and (c) revenue of the InterCity East Coast franchise.

(a) Open access operators on the east coast route have typically delivered lower levels of performance than the franchised operator, in part because one of them operates relatively old diesel trains;

(b) Open access operation has had no material adverse impact on network utilisation, although the constraints on platform occupancy at Kings Cross, in particular, and Doncaster, to a lesser extent, have complicated operations at those two stations;

(c) Open access operators have generally tended to abstract revenue from the franchised operator. Furthermore, where bidders in the forthcoming InterCity East Coast franchise competition perceive a risk of additional open access competition causing further abstraction, they are likely to offer lower bids.

No sources cited of course.

Good to see that Stephen Hammond (of all people) is happy to repeat the prejudices of his civil servant masters (is this right? Ed).

As usual that old 'abstraction' canard gets an airing - perhaps Pete Wilkinson (Director Franchising and late of Renaissance Trains) can explain to Mr Hammond the 'not primarily abstractive' test, which the ORR uses to validate all Open Access bids?

At the same time the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State may even wish to read the Office of Rail Regulation's June 2013 consultation on On-rail competition, which states:

Despite the very limited role that competition currently plays, there is evidence that it drives passenger benefits including lower fares increases, higher growth in passenger numbers, direct services to new destinations, and various service quality benefits.

Open access entrants, who always face strong competition from franchised operators, have higher passenger satisfaction scores than franchised operators, including other intercity operators, who in the main do not face on-rail competition.

Quite so.

But then, since when have the residents of Great Minster House ever been interested in driving passenger benefits?

UPDATE: This from Depot Lad... 

On the subject of “old diesel trains”.

I thought the following key points might be helpful for Mr Hammond who is evidently new to his brief.

• Grand Central operates the same type of “old diesel trains” as those operated by both East Coast and Great Western, and some that are significantly newer than East Coast’s diesel and electric fleets;

• Hull Trains operates diesel trains that are significantly newer than East Coast’s diesel and electric fleets;

• Grand Central’s HSTs were the last on the network to be re-powered and upgraded and as such, are in a newer “mod state” than those operated by East Coast;

• Open access operators need less cancellations than franchised operators to seriously adversely impact on the stats;

• East Coast’s cancellations rate is well in excess of that of Great Western, who exclusively operate “old diesel trains”.

Note: Grand Central and Hull Trains are 'evil open access operators'. Great Western is a 'wonderful franchised operator'. Whilst East Coast is run by the minister's own department.

As our North American cousins might say - go figure!

UPDATE: This from Data Minor...

I thought Eye readers and the minister might be interested in the latest NFRIP figures below:

Operator	Fleet	Primary DPI	Primary DPI MAA	MTIN	MTIN MAA
Grand Central	Class 180	25.4	24.3	13,118	8,641
East Coast	IC225	38.4	33.3	11,537	12,326
Grand Central	HST Set	0	19.3	41,421	13,188
Hull	Class 180	18	27.9	14,380	14,561
East Coast	HST Set	34.9	47.3	18,653	18,619

Hull Trains class 180s and Grand Central HSTs are both more reliable than East Coast's IC225 fleet. 

UPDATE: This from a source close to DOR...

For the record:

1. EC's HSTs currently have the best MTIN MAA of all the HST fleets, and this is on an improving trend

2. Second spot in the HST MTIN MAA table is occupied by the XC HSTs, which just happen to be maintained by EC

3. The poor design of the 225 fleet leading to historically chronic levels of reliability is well documented by all operators including BR, GNER, NXEC and now EC.

MTIN MAA is currently at its highest level since this measure was introduced, and on a rising trend, despite the utilisation of the fleet being substantially higher than ever before.

Eye biased towards Open Access Operators? Just fancy that!!!
 

 

NRMM - bypass Whitehall, head to Bruxelles!

This from Sue La Manche...

Ne pas jeter le bébé avec l'eau du bain!

As the rhetoric over our relationship with Europe grow ever louder, some of the more enlightened (!) ministers are seizing the opportunity to stand tough and demand greater concessions from Brussels in support of the UK economy and UK businesses.

They would have you believe this is something new, yet the UK has historically been rather successful at securing such amendments. 

Take, for example, Directive 2011/88/EU, the so called Flexibility package of the Non Road Mobile Machinery (NRMM) Directive which allows UK businesses to order a limited number of new diesel locomotives, and to re-engine old locomotives at the previous IIIa emissions limit instead of the otherwise mandatory IIIb standard.  

After much negotiation, the Directive was passed into European law in November 2011, triggering a three year period for orders to be placed.

Yet, rather that shout about the great concession we have secured, UK Government has just sat on its hands.  

Halfway through the extension period, the Directive is still not transposed into UK law, to the intense frustration of those businesses looking to invest in new or modified equipment, yet who cannot, in the UK, gain the necessary clearance for their plans.

And, whilst they wait, what is the best advice that Government can offer to industry?

To get approval from the Belgian Safety Authority!

Thameslink fleet - latest deadline passed

Good news for fans of Whitehall rolling stock procurement!

This from yesterday's Derby Telegraph...

In an interview with the Derby Telegraph in January, Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said he expected the £1.4 billion deal to be signed off with winning bidder Siemens "by the end of March".

But moving into April, the deal for 1,200 carriages still remains unsigned.

Just fancy that!

New Franchising Policy - Just fancy that!

This joyous news via the Daily Telegraph...

Four of Britain’s major train operators have dropped a lawsuit against the Government to recover up to £40m of costs lost when the bidding competition for the Great Western rail franchise was scrapped earlier this year. 

Good news indeed!

Eye understands that a clearly emotional spokesman for Natarrivirstoach Group sobbed his thanks to tax and farepayers for their deep pockets (shurely... deep understanding? Ed).

Clutching what looked like a treble he continued "I luuurve thish indushtry, itsh great. But we couldn't, hic, have done it without our matesh in Marsham Schtreet."

"Don't worry boysh and girlsh theresh lotsh of non-execsh to go around" he concluded, as he relaxed horizontally at the back of his chauffeur driven motor.

The Treasury is said to be delighted.

DfT - Uniformly dreadful

So. The Public Accounts Committee has published its report into the cancellation of the InterCity West Coast franchise competition.

The accompanying press release is littered with phrases like "complete lack of common sense", "fundamental errors" "littered with basic errors", "failed to learn from previous disasters", "failed to heed advice from its lawyers", "failed to respond appropriately to early warning signs", "did not have proper oversight of the project" and comments that "the project showed a lack of leadership".

The release continues: "There was no single person responsible from beginning to end and, therefore, no one who had to live with the consequences of bad policy decisions...".

"We are astonished that the Permanent Secretary did not oversee the project because he was told he could not see all the information which might have enabled him to challenge the processes, although it was one of the most important tasks for which the department is responsible."

"Given that the Department got it so wrong over this competition, we must feel concern over how properly it will handle future projects, including HS2 and Thameslink. The Department needs to get its house in order and put basic principles and practices at the heart of what it does, with an appropriately qualified and senior person in charge of the project throughout and an accessible leadership team ready and willing to hear and act on warning signs."

Quite so.

Of course it is all too easy to snipe from the sidelines.

Therefore, Eye is determined to make a constructive contribution to helping DfT "get its house in order".

On page 42 of the PAC report is this telling gem:

£230,000 on uniforms that will never be worn!!!

Eye insists that all officials at the Department (as well as Villiers, Hammond and Greening) are required to wear these totems of profligacy when in Whitehall and on or about the railway.

Perhaps that might engender a greater sense of team spirit and visible accountability?

UPDATE: This from Alias Schmidt & Jones...

Hey, are there any picture of these uniforms? 

And are they now for sale somewhere?

 If so, where can I get one? 

If not why not?

Eye understands that they are in secure storage and ready to be used as required. Apparently there are sufficient for any large-ish size TOC!

 

Snow and ice is our excuse, what's yours?

This from Bernie the Bolt...

With this morning's PPM languishing at just over 60% expect lots of huffing and puffing from ministers on delivery and the importance of correct information.

So time to look at the DafT website - which apparently contains an exciting announcement on High Speed Rail, published on the 17th January 2013...

What could this be? 

A quick click on the link returns the following page:

Is anyone awake in Great Minster House?

UPDATE: This from Steve Stong...

With McNulty in mind isn't this good news?

DfT recycling old news to get maximum bang for its buck.

LM shoddy service rewarded by franchise extension

Good to see that DfT is clamping down on poorly performing franchises.

Concealed amongst the self congratulatory press release from Stormin' Norman (who else!) boasting that the Government had secured £7m worth of ticketing geegaws for hard pressed London Midland commuters was the following:

"The deal that has been struck will also confirm the end date of the franchise as September 2015, ensuring that London Midland is given sufficient time to resolve these problems on a permanent basis."

Way, way back in the heady days of June 2007 when the franchise was first awarded the DfT statement to the Stock Market contained the following fearsome words...

"The new franchise will begin on 11th November 2007 and will run until 19th September 2015. The DfT has the right to terminate the franchise after six years if the operator is failing to meet agreed performance targets."

In fact sources suggest that the franchise contained a break point at six years, with an option for the DfT to extend it for a further 22 months.

Whilst the two other franchises let at the same time (EMT and CrossCountry) had both received notification from DfT some time ago that their franchises would be extended beyond the initial six years, on London Midland not a word!

That is until today.
 
So note to failing franchises - carry on the good work, the Department loves you.

UPDATE: This from Billy No Mates...

Could I point out that the £7m bung to LM commuters equates to just under two Laidlaw Inquiries.

Value for money indeed.

A 'right time' DfT? Eye thinks not.

This from Rose Hill...

I have been delighted to see that Stormin' Norman and DfT are taking such a keen interest in performance.

They, quite rightly, recognise that if you are to make a commitment to your customers and stakeholders, it is vital to stick to your timetables, and deliver on what you promised.

As you can see from the below, all is going swimmingly!


 
92% PPM? A number DafT can only dream of!

Laidlaw tells it like it is!

This via the Birmingham Post...

Mr Laidlaw criticised the fact that the bidding was mainly conducted by a relatively junior DfT team, meaning that when transport ministers were briefed by senior civil servants about it, the ministers were "in a sense talking to the wrong people"...

Quite so.

Pretty much the experience of almost everybody who deals with the department.

DfT publishes Laidlaw Inquiry report

This from the DfT (includes links to the actual report)...

West Coast Main Line: Final report of the Laidlaw Inquiry

06 December 2012 11:40
 
The independent inquiry into the cancelled West Coast Main Line franchise competition has concluded that the project failed because of an accumulation of significant errors related to inadequate planning and preparation, complex organisational structure, and a weak governance framework.

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin asked Sam Laidlaw, the chief executive of Centrica and a non-executive DfT board member, to conduct an urgent investigation following the discovery of unacceptable flaws in the procurement process that led to the competition being cancelled on October 3.

His final report, published today by the Department for Transport, finds that:

• The DfT used flawed and inconsistent methodology when guiding bidders on the amount of risk capital (known as the Subordinated Loan Facility) they would need to offer to guarantee their franchise against default (Inquiry report paragraph 4.31, p22);
• The Subordinated Loan Facility figures resulting from the flawed methodology were then varied in a way that contravened franchise competition rules (3.4, p11);
• Ministers made the original August 14 provisional contract award without being told about the critical flaws (2.12, p8) and having been given “inaccurate reports” (3.8, p12).
• But the Laidlaw Inquiry also concluded that:
• The report’s recommendations to strengthen accountability and governance structures “if acted upon quickly and effectively, will help to restore confidence in the DfT’s ability to conduct effective rail franchising and procurement” (paragraph 8.6, p79);
• While there were inconsistencies in the way First Group and Virgin Trains Ltd were treated during the franchise process, the report finds that there is no evidence of a culture of bias against Virgin at the DfT (paragraph 2.6, p7);
• There is nothing in the report to suggest that the flaws discovered in this franchise competition exist in any other DfT procurements (paragraph 8.3, p79).
• The DfT is today publishing its formal response to the report which commits the Department to implementing swiftly a series of actions that will enable it to resume the franchising programme, with the confidence of the rail industry, as soon as possible.

These include:

• Ensuring future franchise competitions are delivered at a good pace based on sound planning, a clear timeline, rigorous management, and the right quality assurance;
• Creating a simpler and clearer structure and governance process for rail franchise competitions, including the appointment of a single director general with responsibility for all rail policy and franchising;
• Ensuring we have the right mix of professional skills, in-house, and where necessary from professional external advisers.

Sam Laidlaw said:

“Building upon and confirming the conclusions from my initial findings, the final report provides an in-depth analysis of the events that led to the flaws whereby the InterCity West Coast competition was cancelled. Alongside this I have also made a series of recommendations for the future.

“I have explained in detail the technical nature of certain errors, specifically around modelling flaws and the Subordinated Loan Facility sizing process. In addition, the report outlines an accumulation of contributory causes including a lack of transparency, inadequate planning and preparation, as well as a complex and confusing organisational structure with weak quality assurance and insufficient governance oversight.

“While it is clear that a number of serious and regrettable errors have occurred, I believe that if acted upon quickly and effectively, my recommendations will help to restore confidence in the DfT’s ability to conduct effective rail franchising and procurement.”

Patrick McLoughlin said:

"The final report from the Laidlaw Inquiry makes extremely uncomfortable reading for the Department. It has identified precisely what went wrong, revealing serious failures, as well as offering us a number of sensible recommendations to put things right.

“We will not allow these mistakes to be made again and the Department is determined to ensure all future franchise competitions are conducted on the basis of sound planning, the rigorous identification and oversight of risk, and the right quality assurance.”

He added:

“Sam Laidlaw has delivered an uncompromising report that offers us a way to face up to a number of shortcomings and I would like to thank him and his team for producing these findings with such diligence and speed.”

DfT Permanent Secretary Philip Rutnam said:

“There is no question that this has been a serious blow for the Department and I am determined that we learn everything we can from this episode.

“We will implement all of Mr Laidlaw’s recommendations, and go further, to ensure we have the right set of skills, support and training to ensure failures like this do not happen again.”
 
Notes to Editors

1. The Laidlaw Inquiry final report to the Transport Secretary is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/report-of-the-laidlaw-inquiry

2. The Department’s response to the Laidlaw Inquiry’s final report, setting out the actions being taken immediately to resolve the report recommendations, is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/response-to-the-report-of-the-laidlaw-inquiry

3. The Transport Secretary’s oral statement to the House of Commons is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/laidlaw-inquiry-final-report

4. The Laidlaw Inquiry’s final report is only part of the work the Department is doing to review its rail franchising policy. It will also take into account the forthcoming NAO report into the lessons from the cancellation of the InterCity West Coast franchise and the conclusions of Richard Brown’s review of the future of the rail franchising programme, due to be submitted to the Secretary of State by the end of December.


- ENDS -

Laidlaw evidence delayed - no sh1t, Sherlock!

This from the Transport Select Committee...

RESCHEDULED ORAL EVIDENCE – RAIL 2020: WEST COAST MAINLINE FRANCHISE

The oral evidence session with Transport Committee scheduled for Tues 04 December with Sam Laidlaw and Ed Smith has been cancelled.

Commenting on this decision, Louise Ellman, Transport Committee Chair said, 

“I am very disappointed that the Government has delayed publication of Sam Laidlaw’s final report into the collapse of the West Coast Main Line franchise competition. It was expected that the report would be released last week and, as a result, we arranged to hear oral evidence from Mr Laidlaw and his colleague Ed Smith on 4 December.

“Not only has the report not appeared, but the DfT has not had the courtesy to contact us directly about the delay nor explain when this document will be made public. It is regrettable that the DfT should have added to the confusion caused by the abandonment of the West Coast Main Line competition with this episode.

“We have reluctantly decided to postpone the evidence session on the Laidlaw report until Tuesday 18 December at 10am, by which time the Laidlaw report should be in the public domain.”

Tuesday 18 December 2012

Witnesses:
10.00 am

Department for Transport

•         Sam Laidlaw, Non-Executive Director

•         Ed Smith, Non-Executive Director

The DfT delaying something and failing to communicate - now who would have guessed it?

Whitehall unveils new interwebby

This from Henry Trumpet...

A big welcome to Whitehall's brand spanking new interwebby - just gone live today!
 
A single Whitehall website in which the DfT is the first enlightened member to join, along with Pickles' DCLG (only 22 more Departments to follow!).

Click on the link and then click to go to the new “gov/dft” site to find a beggar's muddle of DfT-DCLG info (Eye thought DafT was cosying up to BIS? Ed).

And what is the headline story on this exciting new window into the non micro-managing department?

Additional 'Santa Specials' from that nice man Stormin' Norman!

Make it up you could not.

Virgin on the ridiculous - part 94

This from Our Man by the Photocopier...

Virgin Trains has issued a timely press release about Christmas travel which includes the following wise advice:

Planning ahead is the best way to ensure you get back home to your nearest and dearest without a hitch this Christmas.

With less than a month to go before the present West Coast franchise runs out of steam and with still no confirmation of what will happen after 02.00 on 9 December let’s hope this release was sent as an advisory to DafT, where there is precious little indication of any kind of planning and absolutely none of actually getting things done.

Indeed, if the present impasse between Euston and Horseferry Road is not resolved pdq, the only way to get home for Christmas on West Coast will be a nice brisk walk.

Siemens confirms further delay to Thameslink signing

This from Siemens...

THAMESLINK ROLLING STOCK PROJECT UPDATE

Steve Scrimshaw, Managing Director of Siemens Rail, today commented:

“The Thameslink negotiations are ongoing and although we are disappointed that they have taken longer than anticipated, we are making good progress and we remain confident that we will achieve closure of this important deal.”

“Our project team is in detailed negotiations with the Department for Transport and in daily contact with them and other key stakeholders.”

“Depending on progress over the next month or so, we hope to achieve commercial close by Christmas with financial closure in the new year".

"We have been forging ahead with the manufacturing planning of our Desiro City train for Thameslink, the second generation commuter train based on the very successful Desiro UK train. We are already well advanced with our plans for the start of vehicle testing at our dedicated test track later this year.”

"Having already invested well over 50 million Euros – at our own risk - in its development, I look forward to the Desiro City train taking pride of place on the UK rail network."

ENDS 

And in more good news for the beleaguered DfT, additional delays in ordering the Thameslink fleet will mean newly electrified routes in the North will have to be served by diesel trains.

DfT - the big question post Laidlaw

Now that the DfT is officially broken...

Who will be sent in to fix it?

Anyone have an answer?  

(Apart from FCP and DOR obviously. Ed)

Philip Hammond - a gift that keeps on giving

This from yesterday's interim Laidlaw report...

And this from Eye favourite Petrol-head Hammond on 19 May 2011...

Amongst other proposed changes, we intend to replace the current “cap and collar” revenue sharing system that has driven perverse behaviour by train operators, with a GDP-based risk-sharing arrangement and a profit-share mechanism which will ensure the taxpayer benefits from any unexpected profits over the term of the franchise.

Because relaxation of full prescription of train services in line with Sir Roy’s recommendations was not signalled in the consultation document that we published on 19 January, I have decided that it is right and proper to consult on these proposals again, starting today, and ending on 17 August.  As a consequence of this decision, Mr Speaker, I can inform the House that the new franchise on the Intercity West Coast will now be awarded in August 2012, after a competitive process involving the four shortlisted train operators, and will commence operations on 9th December 2012.  In making this decision, I have deliberately avoided a change of franchise immediately ahead of or during the Olympic period and have also decided to take advantage of the short delay to complete the integration of the 106 new Pendolino carriages into the fleet prior to the commencement of the new franchise...

Longer franchises and a changed relationship with Network Rail will have a positive impact on the behaviour and appetite for investment and risk taking by train operators.  But I want to send a clear message that the new culture of cooperation in the rail industry, and the focus on cost reduction, is here to stay and it is mandatory, not optional.  So I can today announce that, as a matter of policy for all future franchise competitions, a significant part of the assessment of bidders’ capability at the pre-qualification stage will be evidence of success in collaborative working and driving down costs.

Success in driving down costs? 

With the ICWC debacle costing taxpayers at least £40m without a wheel turning in anger perhaps we can all afford ourselves a hollow little laugh.

Update: This from a Mrs A P Tis...

Perhaps all the DfT's current problems over the WCML can really be tracked back to individual political opportunisim?

Christian Wolmar writing on the 17th September 2010:

"Talking to a well informed source at the Rail awards last night, I learnt that the Department for Transport has become one of the first departments to agree a budget with the Treasury. The transport secretary, Philip Hammond, has not only accepted the Treasury figure, but he has done so quickly because he wanted to jump over the table to sit on the other side of the Star Chamber. So now he will sit alongside Osborne and Alexander pronouncing on the budgets of other departments.
        
"In a way that is hardly surprising. Hammond never wanted to be Transport Secretary. He is a Treasury man through and through, and now, with Osborne about to become the most unpopular man in Britain after Ashley Cole, he must reckon that, having been shafted over the Chief Secretary job because of the deal with the Libdems, he has a chance of the big job in a year or two. By the time the damage he is wreaking in transport starts to become apparent, Hammond will not be in Marsham Street".

Mystic Wolmar indeed!

DfT: Statement on Laidlaw Inquiry

This from the Department for Transport...

West Coast Main Line: Laidlaw Inquiry interim findings...    
 
The independent inquiry into the Department for Transport’s handling of the franchise competition to run the West Coast Main Line has submitted an initial findings report to Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin.

In the interests of transparency, Mr McLoughlin has today published that report, alongside a covering letter, and this afternoon delivered an update to Parliament about this report and wider progress on ensuring continuity of service on the West Coast Main Line.

Sam Laidlaw, the senior business figure and DfT non-executive director leading this independent review, has asked the DfT to release the following statement on behalf of his inquiry:

    “In the limited time available this is necessarily only a preliminary report. What is clear however is that in seeking to run a complex and novel franchising competition process, an accumulation of significant errors, described in the report, resulted in a flawed process.

    “These errors appear to have been caused by factors including inadequate planning and preparation, a complex organisational structure and a weak governance and quality assurance framework. The full causes and the lessons to be learnt will be addressed in the final report of my independent Inquiry to be published at the end of November.

    “Firm judgments should not be made based upon what are provisional findings or wider conclusions drawn at this stage.”

ENDS

No mention of the "inconsistency in treatment of ICWC bidders" referred to by the SoS in the House.

UPDATE: Interim version of Laidlaw Inquiry report published here.