§ Mr. MacShaneTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what measures his Department is taking to ensure that its contractors and suppliers(a) pay their employees a wage which ensures such employees do not need supplementary welfare payments via various state benefits and (b) meet workplace health and safety regulations; and if he will make a statement. [21463]
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonIn procuring goods and services, the Department's prime objective is to obtain value for money from public expenditure. To this end, we encourage and use competition unless there are convincing reasons to the contrary. Terms and conditions of employment, including wages, are a matter between the contractors or suppliers and their employees, subject of course to any relevant legal requirements. In the case of workplace health and safety, compliance with relevant regulations is a legal requirement for contractors or suppliers although in practice the Department draws the regulations to the attention of any contractors or suppliers whose staff will be working on our premises.