§ Mr. Ashtonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will allow facilities for trade union recruitment and organisation on the premises of his Department during hours in which cleaners are employed.
§ Mr. AmeryFacilities for trade union recruitment and organisation are granted to recognised unions in respect of civil servants. My Department is not responsible for such arrangements in respect of employees of contractors; but if any contractor asks for help in providing similar facilities on my Department's premises in respect of his employees who work there, I will consider his request.
§ Mr. Ashtonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many contractors have succeeded in obtaining contracts for office cleaning in his Department in the last five years; whether he will publish their names; and how many firms tendered.
§ Mr. AmeryIn my Department office cleaning contracts are placed on a regional and local basis. The information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. Ashtonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the annual saving to his Department by employing contractors to 289W do office cleaning instead of employing cleaners as part of his staff.
§ Mr. AmeryEstimates are not made on this basis. Each building is looked at separately and once a decision has been made on the method of cleaning to be employed records of alternative costs are not maintained.
When contracts come up for renewal the decision is reviewed.
§ Mr. Ashtonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will state the annual percentage increase in contract prices for cleaning his Department's offices in 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970 and 1971; and how this compares with the annual percentage wage increase of maintenance staff actually employed by his Department.
§ Mr. AmeryThis information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.