§ Mr. Ashtonasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many contractors have succeeded in obtaining contracts for office cleaning in her Department in the last five years; whether she will publish their names; and how many firms tendered.
§ Mrs. Thatcher30; No; 51.
§ Mr. Ashtonasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what estimate she has made of the annual saving to her Department by employing contractors to do office cleaning instead of employing cleaners as part of her staff.
§ Mrs. ThatcherEstimates are not made on this basis; the cleaning of each 303W building is considered separately. Once a decision has been made records of alternative costs are not maintained.
§ Mr. Ashtonasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will state the annual percentage increase in contract prices for cleaning her Department's offices in 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970 and 1971; and how this compares with the annual percentage wage increase or maintenance staff actually employed by her Department.
§ Mrs. ThatcherThe information sought in the first part of this Question is not readily available; and the comparison requested cannot be made as my Department does not employ maintenance staff.