§ Mr. Gryllsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Surrey, North-West on 7 April, Official Report, c. 230, what steps the Supply Council has taken to ensure that small businesses secure a greater share of the orders placed by the National Health Service; what percentage of such orders go to small business; and if there is any evidence that special measures have improved this share.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe Supply Council has strongly commended to all health authorities the Government's policy for using public purchasing power to improve the competitiveness of our suppliers. Most suppliers to the NHS are small firms and will therefore benefit from this policy. The main aim is to improve the relationship between the NHS and its suppliers to the benefit of both parties. The Supply Council has issued guidance on how this aim can be achieved. There are no statistics available about the number of orders going to
Table 1: Families with Children not Receiving Supplementary Benefit Great Britain 1979 average Thousands Family type Below Supplementay Benefit Level Above Supplementary Benefit level but within 40 per cent, of it Total below Supplementary Benefit and above Supplementary Benefit level but within 40 per cent of it Families Children Families Children Families Children One-parent [40] [60] 70 130 110 190 Two-parent 110 220 450 1,070 570 1,290 Totals 160 290 520 1,190 680 1,480 Note: The figures in square brackets are subject to very considerable proportionate statistical error.
Table 2: Families with Children receiving Supplementary Benefit Great Britain 1979 average Thousands One-parent families Two-parent families Totals Families Children Families Children Families Children 320 580 130 310 450 880 Note: The figures in both tables may not add up due to rounding.
§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the latest available figures on the number of one-parent families receiving one-parent benefit; how many do not benefit financially from receiving it; and how many lone parents who would benefit financially from one-parent benefit do not receive it.
162Wsmall companies, but I understand that health care trade associations have welcomed the Supply Council's initiative.
§ Mr. Gryllsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what arrangements there are in his Department to ensure that the Government's policy towards small firms is furthered through the procurement policy of his Department so that small businesses receive a proportion of all purchasing contracts issued by his Department; and what proportion he expects this will be in 1982–83.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeContracts issued by the Department are awarded on merit. However, although records are not kept of the size of firms, the majority of the Department's suppliers are known to be small firms of the kind which the policy announced by my hon. Friend the Member for Norfolk, South (Mr. MacGregor) on 26 November—[Vol. 32, c. 1115–1177]—is designed to assist.