§ Tony CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on his Department's future estates strategy. [73443]
§ Mr. Andrew SmithA decision has been made to expand, through negotiation, the existing PFI arrangements under the PRIME contract to include the ex-Employment Service buildings. If these negotiations with the current PFI service provider are not considered to be offering value for money, the Department will seek an alternative commercial solution. Work on an alternative commercial solution is being developed in parallel with the negotiations with the PRIME contract supplier.
Note: PRIME (Private Sector Resource Initiative for Management of the Estate) is a PH contract let to Trillium (now Land Securities Trillium) in April 1998.