§ Mr. Teddy Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many district health authorities have awarded their contracts for laundry services to in-house staff and how many to outside private contractors; and if he is satisfied with the tender procedures which have been implemented.
§ Mr. WhitneyA total of 16 district health authorities have awarded a total of 19 laundry contracts to private contractors. Fifty six in-house laundry tenders have been successful, in 52 district health authorities. We are satisfied with the tendering procedures carried out in most authorities but it has been necessary for the Department to intervene in a small number of cases. Further general advice on tendering for laundry services was included in a letter of 3 January 1986 from Victor Paige, chairman of the National Health Service Management Board, to all regional health authority chairmen. A copy of this letter was placed in the Library.