§ Mr. Michael Lathamasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what
£ million 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 Fuel 54 96 110 (40) (67) (80) Other commodities, e.g. furniture, furnishings, equipment, building materials etc. 62 79 98 (11) (17) (30) Operational Services, e.g. maintenance and repairs, transport, storage etc. 8 13 14 Design, planning, advisory etc. services 8 16 26 132 204 248 The differences in value between years are mainly due to price changes.
§ Mr. Michael Lathamasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the present staffing establishment of the Supplies Division of the Property Services Agency; what is the total annual
1st April 1973 1st April 1974 1st April 1975 1st February 1976 Non-industrial 2,110 2,000 2,080 2,070 Industrial 2,260 2,080 2,140 2,140 The operating costs are:
£ million 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76(forecast) Salaries … 4.3 6.0 7.9 Industrial wages (including hired labour) … 4.0 6.5 7.3 Items used in workshops etc. … 3.4 4.9 5.9 Overheads* … 8.0 8.0 9.4 Notional depreciation, insurance and interest … 1.2 3.0 3.6 20.9 28.4 34.1 * Includes accommodation at current value, superannuation, stationery, telephones, etc. Supplies Division includes all these costs in the prices it charges Government Departments and other public bodies.
§ Mr. Michael Lathamasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what will be the management structure of the proposed Property Services Agency Supplies; and what degree of freedom its chief executive will have in making purchasing decisions.
778Wwas the value of he supplies provided by the Supplies Division of the Property Services Agency for each year since the PSA was established; and whether he will break down these figures showing specific costs of the major items of expenditure.
§ Mr. FreesonThe value of services provided by PSA Supplies Division in recent years is as follows. The figures in brackets are the values included for supplies ordered directly by other public sector bodies from PSA contracts.
cost to public funds of this division, including provision for salaries and administrative overheads; and what were the equivalent figures for each year since the division was established.
§ Mr. FreesonThe Supplies Division staff numbers currently and for recent years are:
§ Mr. FreesonThe proposed PSA Supplies will be headed by a Controller accountable to the Chief Executive of the Property Services Agency, who is responsible to the Secretary of State for the Environment and who will be the Accounting Officer for the Trading Fund. The Controller will be free to supply the range of goods and services required to meet the needs of Government within the limits of demands by public sector clients 779W who pay for them. The Controller will be required to comply with Government procurement policies and practice, in the same way as other Government Departments, to achieve financial objectives laid down, and generally secure efficient and economic performance.
§ Mr. Michael Lathamasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will list the organisations or individuals outside the Civil Service whom he consulted prior to making the Property Services Agency Supplies Trading Fund Order 1976.
§ Mr. FreesonNo such consultation was necessary or called for under the Government Trading Funds Act 1973.
§ Mr. Michael Lathamasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many of the Supplies Division of the Property Services Agency have direct commercial experience in bulk purchasing on behalf of companies or other organisations outside the public service prior to joining the PSA; what proportion they represent of the total staff of the division, excluding secretarial or clerical grades; and what proposals he has for increasing the number with such experience if the division is set up as a separate trading fund.
§ Mr. FreesonThe purchasing staff are civil servants normally without outside experience but familiar with Government procurement and contractual policies and practice to which they are required to adhere. Generally about 40 per cent. of the non-industrial staff of Supplies Division possess professional or technical qualifications relevant to the services provided and have had commercial or industrial experience in their field.
No change in method of recruitment is envisaged.