§ Mr. Marplesasked the Minister of Technology what principal changes have been made in the procurement practices 580W and policies of his Department at the instigation of the Standing Group on Public Purchasing and Industrial Efficiency.
§ Mr. BennThe work of the group has been to co-ordinate and press forward the effort of the Department in implementing the policy described in the White Paper on Public Purchasing and Industrial Efficiency (Cmnd. 3291). Measures taken by Mintech include action in the following areas: encouragement of contractors to use modern management techniques such as value engineering; use of performance specifications to encourage innovation and economy in developing new equipment; standardisation and variety reduction of existing types of equipment; introduction of quality assurance schemes and technical advisory services to industry; and assistance to exports in the procurement of defence equipment.
§ Mr. Marplesasked the Minister of Technology what plans he has for bringing non-civil servants with commercial experience of procurement on to the administrative staff on procurement function in his Department.
§ Mr. BennThe subject of recruiting experienced people from outside the Service recommended by the Fulton Committee (Rec. 60) will be considered by all Government Departments when the main issues raised by that committee have been resolved. The Fulton Committee Management Consultancy Group investigated the Contracts Division in my Department and indicated that the quality of staff and the techniques they employ compare favourably with industry. This confirms our own extensive experience of procurement by commercial organisations. Although advantage will be taken of any general change in recruitment policies I have no evidence of a special problem which requires exceptional treatment.
§ Mr. Marplesasked the Minister of Technology whether he will make available to suppliers and to the public in general the manuals of procurement instructions and regulations on procurement in view of the White Paper on Information and the Public interest; and whether he will arrange for copies to be placed in the Library.
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§ Mr. BennThe main manuals are either ones prepared specifically for internal guidance, which it would not be appropriate to make available, or ones dealing with technical procedure requirements, which have a restricted security classification and are issued to suppliers only on a need-to-know basis. However, the report of my Department's Steering Group on Development Cost Estimating, including a handbook of procedures on programming, estimating and control of development projects, has recently been made available to the public through Her Majesty's Stationery Office and I am arranging for a copy to be placed in the Library and sent to the right hon. Member.