Disclosure of Interest
MANCHESTER AND BAA AIRPORTS INQUIRIES
Professor Peter Moizer is a member of the inquiry into the BAA Airports.
I am writing to you about a financial interest that Professor Moizer has
in one of the parties to the Manchester inquiry.
Professor Moizer is one of three external advisers to the Greater Manchester
Pension Fund, which is a pooled investment vehicle with a value currently
of over £6,000 million. His role is to give independent strategic
advice on the management of the Fund's investments: he receives a fee
for his advice on an ongoing basis. The Fund's administering authority
is Tameside MBC. Employees of all local and joint authorities in the Greater
Manchester area (apart from teachers, police officers and fire fighters)
and of many other public bodies have automatic access to the Scheme. Employees
of a wide range of other bodies providing public services can join the
Scheme by means of admission agreements made between the body concerned
and Tameside MBC. Consequently, as well as the ten local authorities in
the Greater Manchester area, the scheme employers include five Greater
Manchester joint authorities and over 100 other bodies. The ten local
authorities within the Greater Manchester area are the shareholders of
the Manchester Airport holding company.
An issue has arisen because it is planned that three joint meetings of
the members of the Manchester and BAA inquiry groups will take place to
consider primarily, but perhaps some other, issues common to both inquiries.
There are also bilateral working groups between the two inquiries, and
Professor Moizer has been a member of one of these groups. There is also
a limited exchange of views between the two groups.
In order to ensure the independence and impartiality of the Manchester
inquiry the Commission is taking the following steps:
- Professor Moizer should not participate in any joint meeting of the
Manchester and BAA groups, nor in any smaller bilateral group;
- His interest should be disclosed to the BAA and Manchester inquiry
groups;
- Where the views of the BAA group reflect those of Professor Moizer
in whole or in part, and are conveyed to the Manchester group, the Manchester
group should be so advised; and
- The parties to the BAA and Manchester inquiries, and also third parties
who have participated in the inquiries, should be advised of Professor
Moizer's position and the steps that will be taken in relation to it.
13 June 2002
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