§ Mr. Charles ClarkeTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to extend the use of public and private partnerships to conduct his Department's business and deliver services to the public; and if he will make a statement. [35137]
§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 19 March 1998]: Competitive tenders have been sought for the redevelopment of the Department's Cambridge Regional Service Centre site.
In addition, the Environment Agency, in liaison with the Department, are in discussion with selected consortia, in advance of a formal notice of Intention to Negotiate, on pilot projects for Hood and Coastal Defence works at Pevensey and Broadland.
Plans to extend the use of public and private partnerships to conduct the Department's business and deliver services to the public are also being considered as part of the Department's Comprehensive Spending Review. As part of its procurement policy, the Department has already entered into key supplier relationships with a number of private sector suppliers. It 94W intends to develop these further and with others as appropriate, subject to the value for money and transparency requirements of the public procurement rules.