§ Mr. Marplesasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department of the products procured by his Department regularly for three years of more, what proportion has, within the last three years, been specifically reviewed to evaluate product design against present need and potential cost reduction.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesConsideration of the suitability of designs and specifications in the light of changing needs and circumstances is a continuing process.
§ Mr. Marplesasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what committee exists within his Department to co-ordinate procurement policies; what is its composition and terms of reference; and how often it meets;
(2) what are the salaries of the most senior officer with full-time responsibility for procurement, and of those reporting directly to him;
(3) what staff, by number and grades, is allocated full-time to standardisation and variety reduction within his Department;
(4) what costing and accounting support is provided by the Contracts Directorate in his Department; and whether this is organised as an integral part of the Contracts Directorate or as a separate supporting activity;
(5) what is the establishment, by numbers of staff in each grade, of each directorate or section concerned with procurement; and what has been its average strength in each of the past three years.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesThe Finance Department of the Home Office has responsibility for co-ordinating procurement policy, ensuring that correct procedures are observed, and approving the placing of all substantial contracts. The preparation of tender and contract documents, communication with contractors and the general progressing of contracts are the responsibility of the four units referred to below, which have delegated authority for the letting of contracts within certain specified limits—in general up to £20,000 in value when there has been good competition, and up to £4,000 without competition. Outside these limits the342W concurrence of the Finance Department is necessary before any contract is placed.
- (i) The Directorate of Industries and Stores (of the Prison Department) is concerned with the procurement of victuals, medical supplies, clothing, furniture and equipment generally for inmates and staff of prisons, borstals, detention and remand centres and the procurement of requisites (materials, tools, etc) for use in manufacturing, farming and vocational training activities at those establishments. These procurement functions are closely allied to the Directorate's responsibilities for equipping penal establishments and organising prison industries.
- (ii) The Directorate of Works is concerned, inter alia, with the provision of materials and tools for the maintenance and repair of buildings at penal establishments, and with the procurement of various items of plant for use at those establishments.
- (iii) The Supply and Transport Branch is concerned, inter alia, with the procurement of certain civil defence and emergency fire service supplies, equipment and vehicles, and (with technical assistance from the Directorate of Telecommunications) with the acquisition of radio and telecommuncations, etc., equipment for the use of police, fire, civil defence and prison services.
- (iv) The Carlisle and District State Management Scheme is responsible, under the general supervision of an administrative division of the Home Office, for the operation of the State Management Scheme, comprising a brewery and ancillary departments in Carlisle and premises in the Carlisle district for the sale of liquor, etc.
Complements and strengths of staff concerned with procurement have remained constant since 1966–67, except for an increase of three officers in the Directorate of Industries and Stores. The following are details of staff engaged on procurement work:
Finance Department
- 1 Senior Chief Executive Officer—10 per cent of time.
- 1 Senior Executive Officer—30 per cent. of time.
- 1 Higher Executive Office—5 per cent. of time.
- 1 Executive Officer—5 per cent. of time.
Directorate of Industries and Stores
- 1 Senior Executive Officer—full time.
- 2 Higher Executive Officers—full time.
- 6 Executive Officers full time
- 1 Technical Officer Grade II—full time.
- 13 Clerical officers—full time.
Directorate of Works (These details relate to stores procurement only).
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- 1 Main Grade Quantity Surveyor—20 per cent. of time.
- 1 Technical Officer Grade A supported by limited assistance at Executive Officer and Clerical Officer level—20 per cent. of time.
Supply and Transport Branch
- 1 Senior Executive Officer—30 per cent. of time.
- 1 Higher Executive Officer—full time.
- 2 Executive Officers—full time.
- 1 Clerical Officer—full time.
Carlisle and District Statement Management Scheme
- 1 Superintendent of Hotels (Chief Executive Officer) —3 hours a week.
- 1 Superintendent of Managed Houses (Chief Executive Officer) —2 hours a week.
- 1 Senior Executive Officer—3 hours a week.
- 1 Head Brewer—2 hours a week.
- 1 Higher Executive Officer—2 hours a week.
- 3 Executive Officers collectively—13 hours a week.
- 1 Bottling Manager—2 hours a week.
- 1 Technical Officer Grade II—8 hours a week.
- 1 Technical Officer Grade III—8 hours a week.
- 1 Engineer—2 hours a week.
- Clerical Officer assistance collectively—20 hours a week.
In addition, the Principal Finance Officer and the Heads of directorates and branches devote attention, as necessary, to procurement matters.
The most senior officer employed full-time on procurement work is the Senior Executive Officer in the Directorate of Industries and Stores, to whom two Higher Executive Officers report direct. Normal Civil Service salary scales apply.
The procurement functions of outstations are not covered in the foregoing figures. Procurements by outstations are limited to a maximum of £1,500 in value in any one case.
The estimated value of contracts placed by the four units mentioned above is relatively small—about £8¼ million in 1968–69—but the range of products is wide. In general, the procurement needs of the four units do not overlap. The circumstances do not justify a central procurement co-ordinating committee in the Home Office, or a costing and accounting support unit. But the Finance Department is responsible for disseminating necessary instructions and advice to ensure that public procurement principles are followed, and advantage is taken where necessary of advice and assistance from other Government Departments. While no staff is engaged full-time on standardisation and variety reduction, 344W close attention is given to these matters in each directorate or branch concerned.
§ Mr. Marplesasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether manuals of procurement instructions and regulations are provided for procurement officers in his Department; and what arrangements are made to ensure compliance.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesThe answer to the first part of the Question is "yes". The answer to the second part is that Finance Department approval of the placing of all substantial contracts, examination before accounts are settled and internal audit are designed to ensure compliance and avoid any irregularities.
§ Mr. Marplesasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of procurement staff in his Department are late entrants into the Civil Service with more than one year's previous commercial experience of procurement.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesSeven per cent.
§ Mr. Marplesasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average length of service in the procurement function of staff currently allotted to it.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesBetween 2½ and 3 years.
§ Mr. Marplesasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department to what extent the same organisation and staff of his Department is required to handle negotiated procurement and competitive tendering; and what proportion of staff is allocated to each.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesThe same staff handle negotiated procurement and competitive tendering but except in some specialised fields there is very little procurement without competition.
§ Mr. Marplesasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department to which professional institutes and institutions procurement staff belong; and how many of the staff belong to each of these professional bodies.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesNo staff employed primarily on procurement functions 345W belong to professional bodies, but the advice of technical and professional people is always available to them.