§ Mrs. Dunwoodyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) pursuant to his reply of 25 November, Official Report, c. 504. which health authorities initiated private contracts for (a) laundry, (b) domestic cleaning and (c) catering in 1979–80, 1980–81 and 1981–82;
(2) pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Crewe on 14 December, Official Report, c. 115, if he will publish in the Official Report, in such form as is readily available, the information he has on health authorities which have initiated private contract work for laundry, domestic cleaning and catering since 1974.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergThe summary of accounts identifies only the total amount spent by health authorities on contracts for various services. Information on contracts and their initiation is not available centrally. I will write to the hon. Member setting out the expenditure on contract services by health authorities for 1977–78, 1978–79 and 1979–80 in the form in which it was given to the hon. Member for Hazel Grove (Mr. Arnold) on 2 December—[Vol. 33, c.270.]—in respect of 1980–81 and 1981–82. Information for earlier years is not available.
§ Mr. Arnoldasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what will be the principal points of the guidance he intends to send to health authorities on contracting out catering and domestic services.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergI am not yet able to give a definite answer to this.