To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has paid, or will pay, to Holyrood Communications Ltd in respect of the Africa Conference on 16 May 2005.

Following a competitive tendering exercise, run in conjunction with the Scottish Procurement Directorate, in which six companies were invited to submit tenders to facilitate the 16 May conference, Holyrood Communications’ fixed price bid of £12,470 (excluding VAT) was assessed as providing the best value and they were awarded the contract on that basis.