The Telegraph, 29/4/2008

An employee of BAA is alleged to have tried to influence consultants advising the Competition Commission on a possible break-up of the airports operator.

The lobbying is believed to have occurred after the commission carried out a tender process for consultants to advise it on BAA's plans to build a new runway at Stansted airport in January.

BAA said it regretted the "unauthorised actions" of one of its employees and said it had co-operated with the commission on the issue.

"We have explained to the commission that the employee concerned has no involvement in BAA's response to the CC's market investigation."

The commission launched an investigation after it became concerned that there "may have been interference in the tendering and appointment process".

The regulator also initiated a second tender process.

In a statement, the regulator said it took "any suggestion of interference in the discharge of its functions very seriously".

Meanwhile The Sunday Telegraph has revealed that the Government has quashed attempts by BAA to hand a lucrative directorship to Sir David Rowlands, a former civil servant who played a key role in directing airport policy.

Sir David, who spent four years as the permanent secretary of the Department for Transport before retiring last May, is understood to have been offered a role as non-executive director.

Sources close to Downing Street said he had accepted the post in principle before the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments recommended against the move because of its political sensitivity.