Q51 Jim Sheridan: The taxpayer is expected to believe that these discussions were going on and neither the Treasury nor the Customs and Excise at any stage were involved?
Mr Varney: There was a working group with both the Treasury and Customs and Excise. What we have focused on is the extent to which the knowledge about the tax status was -
Q52 Jim Sheridan: You knew full well that this company was an offshore company and not at any stage did you think it appropriate to involve the Treasury?
Mr Varney: My two predecessors have both apologised for this failure to appropriately advise. You have in front of you a Report which seems to me to be very positive about the arrangements which have been entered into.
Q53 Jim Sheridan: Is there anything that that the Treasury have learned from this?
Mr Glicksman: As Mr Varney has said, his predecessor as accounting officer apologised to the Treasury Select Committee about the way in which this particular issue was handled and after the issue came to light the Treasury issued guidance to departments to try and avoid that sort of thing happening again.
Q54 Jim Sheridan: Mr Hopkins, is Mapeley financially secure now?
Mr Hopkins: It is, yes.
Q55 Jim Sheridan: Mr Varney, do we have a plan B?
Mr Varney: Yes.
Q56 Jim Sheridan: What is it?
Mr Varney: We have a business continuity plan.
Q57 Jim Sheridan: If Mapeley failed to exist?
Mr Varney: Yes.
Q58 Jim Sheridan: What is plan B?
Mr Varney: I would rather provide that, if I may, as a private answer to the Committee.
Q59 Jim Sheridan: In terms of consultants, how many consultants' firms do you use?
Mr Varney: Since the contract has been signed, we have spent £1.8 million. We have used people who can help either in terms of particular legal advice on the contract or we can build in our own model of the Mapeley cash flows, the coverage of the debt and other things like that. We have taken specific advice where we do not have expertise, where we think we need expertise from outside.
Q60 Jim Sheridan: How many consultants have you used?
Mr Varney: I can give you the answer.
Ms Ghosh: We are happy to provide a list.4
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