§ 53. Mr. ButlerTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what progress is being made with the implementation of the guidelines of the public purchasing initiative.
§ Mr. ButcherAt the beginning of the year, the Government disseminated consolidated guidelines on public purchasing throughout the public sector. Consistent with our international obligations, these encourage purchasers to work more effectively with suppliers to obtain better value for money and to help improve their competitiveness. For example, we are seeing welcome progress in National Health Service procurement, where my Department is working closely with the Department of Health and Social Security and health authorities: and we are strengthening links with local authority purchasing bodies. In its recently published report to the Prime Minister, the central unit on purchasing acknowledges that there is much to do in the area of central Government purchasing and we intend to pursue this vigorously.