§ Mr. Marplesasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the recommendations in the report on tile procurement methods in use at Marks and Spencer Limited; which recommendations have been accepted; and what changes have, as a result, been made in Treasury procurement policies and practices.
§ Mr. TaverneThe Report outlined aspects of the company's practice of establishing long-term close relationships with selected suppliers, and recommended their adoption in Government purchasing. Experiments based on the company's practice, modified as necessary to meet the Government's different circumstances, are being undertaken in suitable fields of supply by the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Public Building and Works, and Her Majesty's Stationery Office. The experiments involve departures from the conventions of competition and formal contracting and considerable delegation to purchasing officers.