Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sugg on 6 March (HL14064), whether conversations involving officials and Arklow Shipping took place before the Department for Transport entered into an agreement or signed heads of forms with Seaborne Freight.

Support from Arklow formed part of the conditions precedent to the contract. Information from Arklow was provided in accordance with the condition of the initial agreement.