§ Mr. Eggarasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list those functions or parts of his Department which he has transferred, or is in the process of transferring, to the private sector.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergNo functions or parts of the Department have yet been transferred to the private sector but on 1 April 1983 employers will become responsible for the payment of sick pay for the first eight weeks of sickness.
The scope for contracting out work to the private sector is also kept under active review and in the last year there has been an increased use of private firms ranging from the carrying out of audits in the National Health Service to the use of computer bureaux and to office cleaning.