§ 42. Mr. Squireasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of portering, catering and general duties within the Health Service was carried out by private contractors at the latest available date.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergBy "general duties" I am assuming that my hon. Friend means domestic cleaning services. In the financial year 1980–81 contracts with private companies accounted for 0.31 per cent. and 2.54 per cent. respectively of the sums spent on catering and domestic services by health authorities in England. No information is available centrally that would indicate whether any health authorities have used private contractors for portering services.