§ Mr. Ian Lloydasked the Minister of Technology if he is aware that financial support from his Department enables the National Computing Centre to undercut prices offered by its commercial competitors; and whether he will make a statement on his policy as regards competitive tendering by the National Computing Centre for work funded from public sources.
215W
§ Dr. BrayI am not aware of any instance where the grant-in-aid to the N.C.C. has been used to undercut prices charged by commercial interests. The N.C.C. is mainly active in areas of national interest. Where it is appropriate to charge for such services, the rates are based on average commercial practice.
The N.C.C. has not tendered, in a competitive tendering situation, for work funded from public sources, but if the N.C.C. did so tender it would do so at commercial rates.