§ Mr. Lawrenceasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of the hospital service subcontracts (a) its laundry and (b) its catering, to private firms; and what evidence there is that this has been cost-effective.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergIn the financial year 1980–81 contracts with private companies accounted for 0.31 per cent. and 11.96 per cent. respectively of the revenue expenditure on catering and laundry services by health authorities in England.
Evidence of the cost effectiveness of individual contracts is not available centrally. I would expect that health authorities who have let contracts have satisfied themselves that the service provided is cost effective.