Collection of information

4  We collected information from the following sources:

■  a review of National Savings' papers, bidders' submissions and of the legal agreements underpinning the deal;

■  interviews with National Savings senior management, officials and advisers, on how they handled the negotiation of the deal;

■  a questionnaire sent to the four bidders involved from the Information Memorandum stage of the procurement; and

■  discussions with the two final bidders.