§ Mr. RedwoodTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, following the setting of a minimum wage, the public sector will buy goods and services from overseas companies paying their employees less than the United Kingdom minimum wage. [28127]
§ Mr. Geoffrey Robinson[holding answer 6 February 1998]: The Government's policy on public procurement is to obtain value for money for the taxpayer. The public sector will buy the goods and services which provide the optimum combination of whole-life cost and quality.