EUROPCANS
44
THE TWO EUROPEAN CONSORTIA ARE ALSO REGARDED AS HAVING AGREED TO TRY TO WORK TOWARDS THE DESIDERATA, NEITHER HAVE PROPOSED AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE CEILING PRICE CONCEPT AND IT IS THEREFORE BEING ASSUMED THAT THEY ACCEPT IT.
BRITISH GROUP
5. M AND E ARE REGARDED AS HAVING ACCEPTED CEILING PRICE CONCEPT ALTHOUGH WITH RESERVATIONS. BUT SINCE CIVIL ENGINEERING HAVE REJECTED IT, THE ANSWER OF THE BRITISH GROUP AS A WHOLE IS REGARDED AS A ''QUALIFIED NO ACCOMPANIED BY AN ALTERNATIVE PROPOSAL (1.E. TARGET PRICE).
6. FOLLOWING THE DISCUSSIONS AT THE DINNER IN LONDON ON 5 SEPT- EMBER STEERING GROUP HAD BEEN EXPECTING A LETTER FROM THE BRITISH GROUP MODIFYING THEIR POSITION AT LEAST TO THE EXTENT OF AGREEING TO TRY TO MEET THE DESIDERATA,
STEERING GROUP POSITION
7. CEILING PRICE REMAINS THE ABSOLUTE REQUIREMENT. FACT THAT THREE OF THE CONSORTIA HAVE ACCEPTED THE CONCEPT IN PRINCIPLE REINFORCES THIS DETERMINATION AND THE STEERING GROUP ARE NOT THEREFORE DISPOSED, AT THIS STAGE AT LEAST, TO CONSIDER ALTERNATIVE TARGET PRICE.
8. THE FIGURE OF 5,000 MILLION IS SEEN BY STEERING GROUP AS A WATER SHED. IF ANY GROUP REMAINS BELOW IT THOSE GOING ABOVE WILL BE ELIMINATED. IF ALL GO ABOVE THEN SERIOUS CONSIDERATION WOULD BE GIVEN TO ABANDONING THE PROJECT (SIR D CLAGUE CONSIDERS THAT THIS IS MERELY THE FINANCIAL BRANCH VIEW AND THAT PUBLIC OPINION WOULD MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO ABANDON THE SCHEME NOW).
9.
STEERING GROUP ARE STILL PREPARED TO CONSIDER PAYING SOME
OF THE COSTS OF DESIGN AND PREPARATION OF TENDER IF
THESE ARE SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED. SO FAR (THEY SAY) ONLY CONSORTIUM TO HAVE REQUESTED THIS IS THE BRITISH GROUP ALTHOUGH THEY DO
NOT RULE OUT THE POSSIBILITY OF OTHERS REQUESTING IN DUE COURSE. THEY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE REQUEST CONFIRMED IN WRITING.