HC Deb 18 April 1994 vol 241 cc407-8W
Mr. Meacher

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will inquire into the sale of marks market testing process at the DVLA; and to what extent the process was carried out in accordance with the Government's guidelines.

Mr. Key

I am satisfied that the process of letting the most recent contract for the sale of registration numbers work fully complied with civil service tendering procedures.

Mr. Meacher

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations Capita made to him regarding the way the original market test for the sale of marks functions at the DVLA was carried out; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Key

Concerns were expressed by Capita and others following the original tendering process in 1992 for the sale of vehicle registration numbers telesales contract. These centred on the basis upon which the in-house team was allowed to put forward proposals. The tendering exercise has been re-run using criteria based on the maximisation of revenue and the development of a cohesive marketing strategy. Tenderers were judged on their ability to maximise revenue from the sale of numbers, expertise in telesales and innovation and experience within the marketing field, as well as cost.

Mr. Meacher

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the sale of marks market test contract at the DVLA was awarded on the basis of the applicability of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981.

Mr. Key

No. It is the Department's view that the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 do not apply in this case.

Mr. Meacher

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will place in the Library a copy of the Teledata contract bid for the sale of marks function at the DVLA;

(2) what were the reasons for not awarding the original contract for the sale of marks to the in-house team; what was the difference in money terms between the lowest bid and the successful bid; and by whom the lowest bid was submitted.

Mr. Key

Following a competitive tender exercise in 1992 in which the contract to operate the agency's telesales facility was offered to the market, it became apparent that the process adopted did not fully reflect tendering procedures as set out in "Competing for Quality", Cm 1730. The tender competition was accordingly re-run. Details of individual bids are commercial in confidence.

Mr. Meacher

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will list contracts awarded by his Department to Teledata Ltd. since 1987;

(2) whether Teledata Ltd. bid for the original sale of marks contract at the DVLA prior to the re-run of the recent market test.

Mr. Key

Teledata Ltd. won the contract to operate a telephone information service and a sale of vehicle registration numbers telesales facility in December 1989. The company did not tender in the exercise held in 1992. Under changed ownership it won the contract in the latest sale of registration numbers market test. No other contract has been let to this company by my Department.

Forward to