HC Deb 18 January 1996 vol 269 cc729-30W
Mr. Donohoe

To ask the secretary of State for National Heritage what costs her Department and executive agencies have incurred as a result of withdrawing from contracts under which mobile phones are provided; and if he will list the companies concerned. [9748]

Mr. Sproat

[holding answer 17 January 1996]The Department of National Heritage and its executive agencies have not incurred any costs as a result of withdrawing from contracts for mobile phones.

Mr. Donohoe

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what agreements her Department and its executive agencies have with companies for the provision of mobile and car phones; and if he will list the companies having these contracts, the duration of the contracts, the number of phones covered by each agreement and the cost to public funds of each agreement. [9746]

Mr. Sproat

[holding answer 17 January 1996]The Department of National Heritage and its executive agencies have agreements with Cruse Technical Services and AutoRentals for the provision of mobile phones. The Department currently has contracts with 11 air-time providers.

Provider Number of mobiles on line
Mercury 4
Vodafone 25
Vodacom 9
Cellnet 14
Uniqueair 14
BT Mobile 13
Peoples Phone 2
Motorola 7
Hutchinson Telecommunications 3
Orange 1
TalkLand 4

All contracts are of one-year duration. There is no cost to public funds for any of the contracts that are currently held beyond standard rental and call charges.

Mr. Donohoe

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what procedures were used by her Department in awarding contracts for the supply of mobile and car phones to her Department and its executive agencies; and which companies were involved in tendering for these contracts. [9747]

Mr. Sproat

[holding answer 17 January 1996]All contracts for the provision of mobile phones are let according to standard Government guidelines on procurement. Quotations have been sought from a range of companies, including but not limited to: Mercury, BT Mobile, Cellnet, Vodac, London Car Telephones, Uniqueair, Peoples Phone and Vodafone.

Forward to