Market Testing (Hansard, 2 March 1992)

§ Mr. McAllion
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list each private sector consultancy firm which has been retained by each agency within his Department, and for his Department as a whole, for the purposes of advising on the market testing programme; and whether the appointment in each case was the result of competitive tendering.

§ Mr. Kenneth Baker
Coopers and Lybrand Deloitte has been retained to conduct a single study, in conjunction with an internal review team, to advise me on the future market testing programme for my Department as a whole. It was selected through competitive tendering.

§ Dr. Kim Howells
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the individuals or organisations from the private sector who have been involved since 18 November 1991(a) in determining areas within the Department for market testing or contracting out or (b) who have advised him of areas that should be market tested or contracted out to market consultants; the total fees or other costs charged to the Department by them to date and the full costs likely to be charged.

§ Mr. Kenneth Baker
Coopers and Lybrand Deloitte has been retained to conduct a study, in conjunction with an internal review team, to advise me on the future market testing programme for my Department. The review is not yet complete and no decisions have been taken on areas that are suitable for market testing. The value of contracts is a matter of commercial and contractual confidentiality.

§ Dr. Kim Howells
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list any areas within his Department that have been identified since 18 November(a) by individuals or organisations from the private sector or (b) otherwise as possibly suitable for market testing and contracting out; and what steps are being taken to prevent any non-governmental organisations successfully tendering to carry out work currently undertaken by civil servants facing a conflict of interest between the public interest requirement of this work and other commercial activities they are involved in or other clients they represent.

§ Mr. Kenneth Baker
In reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Westminster, North (Sir J. Wheeler) on 5 December at column219, I set out plans for further private sector involvement in court escorts, custody and security and in prison management.
41W
Private sector consultants, together with an internal review team, are conducting a study to advise me on my Department's overall market testing programme, but their work has not yet been completed.
Contracting out of Home Office work to the private sector is carried out in accordance with guidance issued by the Treasury's public competition and purchasing unit.