§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursTo ask the Secretary of State for Health which organisations, agencies and other bodies relating to her departmental area of responsibility have been privatised since 1990; and what plans she has for further privatisation.
§ Mr. SackvilleNo part of the Department of Health, its agencies, or related bodies have been privatised since 1990. Apart from the possible sale of a small part of the Public Health Laboratory Service involving up to four staff, there are no firm plans to privatise any parts of these organisations at present. However, privatisation is one of the "prior options" which must be considered before a next steps agency is created; or when an agency or non-departmental public body is the subject, respectively, of a framework or quinquennial review.