§ Mr. DevlinTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many people in his Department are wholly or substantially involved in purchasing stores and distribution activities;
(2) what is the full annual cost, including overheads, of his Department's purchasing activity.
§ Mr. DorrellThe Department keeps no records of those employed on purchasing stores as opposed to services, or702W of those exclusively involved in distribution activities. Similarly, the management arrangements for the Department which involve devolved responsibilities in line with the financial management initiative means that it is not possible without incurring disproportionate costs to ascertain the costs of the Department's purchasing activity.