§ Mr. McAllionTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security 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. JackIndividual agencies within the Department have not retained a private sector consultancy firm to give advice on market testing. Price Waterhouse has been retained to advise the Department as a whole on potential areas for market testing. The appointment was made following competitive tendering.
§ Dr. Kim HowellsTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list any areas within his Department that have been identified since 18 November 1991(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 actitivies they are involved in or other clients they represent.
§ Mr. JackSince 18 November 1991 the Department has been working to draw up a three to five-year programme of market testing, informed by studies undertaken with the private sector, as required by the White Paper "Competing for Quality". All support areas are being considered.
Contract documents include a clause on confidentiality covering both commercial and other information. All contractors' employees are bound by the same conditions on confidentiality as civil servants under the Official Secrets Acts of 1911 and 1989 and section 19 of the Social Security Act 1989 and are required to sign a declaration to that effect.
§ Dr. Kim HowellsTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the individuals or organisations from the private sector who have been 81W involved since 18 November 1991 (a) in determining areas within his 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 and the total fees or other costs to date charged to his Department by them and the full costs likely to be charged.
§ Mr. JackPrice Waterhouse has been contracted by this Department to advise on potential areas for market testing. The fees charged on individual contracts are regarded as commercial in confidence and cannot be divulged.