§ Mr. Lawsonasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total increase in his Department's expenditure incurred as a result of the Government decision, effective as from 1st April 1975, to require contractors for cleaning Government buildings to pay wages comparable with those paid for similar work by local authorities.
§ Mr. Robert SheldonThe Treasury pays for cleaning the Great George Street offices which are shared with five other Departments.
The current contract was awarded after competitive tender last year. It allows for the wage rates that would be paid to local authority workers for similar work. It is not pissible to distinguish the element in the cost due to the decision referred to in the Question.