Norman Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what factors underlie the decision
to allocate the research project on cabin air quality to Cranfield; and for
what reasons EU public procurement procedures were not invoked in this
instance. [273038]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The research project was tendered under the single
tender procedure and approved in April 2007. Due to the complex logistics and
the need for a project manager to develop protocols, this research could not be
specified as a normal tender. Following the tender, Cranfield university was chosen by the Department, in consultation
with the Department of Health, the Civil Aviation Authority, BALPA (largest
pilot trade union) and airlines.