§ Mr. Gryllsasked the Secretary of State for Employment what arrangements there are in his Department to ensure that the Government's policy towards small firms is furthered through the procurement policy of his Department so that small businesses receive a proportion of all purchasing contracts issued by his Department; and what proportion he expects this will be in 1982–83.
§ Mr. AlisonThe procurement policy of my Department, in line with the Government's public purchasing policy generally, is to select suppliers on merit, irrespective of company size. Small firms are, of course, free to compete and we will be applying the new simplified tendering and approval procedures announced on 26 November by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Industry. Our records of contracts awarded do not include details of size of company; it is not, therefore, possible to estimate the proportion of such contracts likely to be won by small firms in 1982–83.