§ Mr. Marplesasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, following the recommendations in the report on the procurement methods in use at Marks and Spencer Limited, what products have been purchased by Her Majesty's Stationery Office on an experimental basis and what are the departures from the conventions of competition and formal contracting involved; and in the absence of a formal contract what form of agreement is being entered into with the selected suppliers.
§ Mr. TaverneThe first experiments by H.M.S.O. involve the purchase of guide cards, loose leaf binders, and plastic wallets. Subject to the negotiation of reasonable prices, and to satisfactory delivery and performance, successive orders will be placed during the trial period with selected companies rather than by repeated competition. The contracts will be very simple, paper work reduced to a minimum, and efficiency and economy fostered.
§ Mr. Marplesasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total value of Government procurement with each of the industry orders I-XXII in 1962–63; 600W and what proportion of the total output of each sector Government expenditure represented.
§ Mr. TaverneThis information could be provided only with disproportionate effort.
§ Mr. Marplesasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total cost of public procurement policy within his Department for each of the last five years; and what has been the cost of research into improving Government procurement and of the use made of outside consultants, respectively, in each of those years.
§ Mr. TaverneThe cost of full-time Treasury staff has been approximately:
1964–65 Nil 1965–66 £2,000 1966–67 £7,000 1967–68 £11,500 1968–69 (estimated) £20,000 The cost of staff working part-time on procurement policy is not available. Research generally falls to the purchasing Departments. The cost of consultants employed by the Treasury was:
1964–67 Nil 1967–68 £1,260 1968–69 (estimated) £1,200
§ Mr. Marplesasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what machinery for public purchasing policy exists apart from the Treasury's Procurement Policy Committee; and what staff by numbers and grades are allocated to it.
§ Mr. TaverneThe general practice of successive Governments has been not to reveal the details of Cabinet machinery. I see no reason for any departure in this case.