§ 47. Mr. Gerald Howarthasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he has taken to seek to ensure that health authorities permit private contractors to compete on equal terms for contracts put out to tender.
§ Mr. HayhoeThe Department's circular on competitive tendering HC(83)18 (a copy of which is in the Library) makes it clear that in-house or private contractors have to submit tenders to meet the same specifications, and provides a framework for a fair comparison of costs between tenders received.