§ Mr. Ashtonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will allow facilities for trade union recruitment and organisation on the premises of his Department during hours in which cleaners are employed.
§ Mr. CarlisleFacilities for trade union recruitment and organisation are granted to recognised unions in respect of civil servants. The Home Office is not responsible for such arrangements in respect of employees of contractors, but should any contractor ask for help in providing similar facilities on Home Office premises in respect of his employees who work there, my right hon. Friend would consider his request.
§ Mr. Ashtonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many contractors have succeeded in obtaining contracts for office cleaning in his Department in the last five years; whether he will publish their names; and how many firms tendered.
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§ Mr. CarlisleIn the Home Office, office cleaning contracts are placed individually for a considerable number of buildings. The information asked for is not readily available and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. Ashtonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the annual saving to his Department by employing contractors to do office cleaning instead of employing cleaners as part of his staff.
§ Mr. CarlisleNone. Arrangements for each building are considered separately.
§ Mr. Ashtonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will state the annual percentage increase in contract prices for cleaning his Department's offices in 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970 and 1971; and how this compares with the annual percentage wage increase of maintenance staff actually employed by his Department.
§ Mr. CarlisleThis information is not readily available and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.