§ Mr. Eadieasked the Minister of Public Building and Works, how many firms in Scotland have been excluded from carpet discount contracts; where the contracts have now been placed; and why a firm in the hon. Member for Midlothian's constituency was excluded.
§ Mr. MellishFive Scottish firms which previously held discount contracts for carpets have been omitted from the current list: the contracts are now held by three firms in England and three in Scotland.
As part of a general move to rationalise purchasing my Ministry recently reduced the number of its carpet discount contracts from 38 to 6 and in so doing has obtained better terms.
The six firms selected were those whose products had been most in demand in recent years. The Midlothian firm was not one of these.