HC Deb 23 March 1983 vol 39 cc427-8W
Mrs. Dunwoody

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, in view of the fact that the in-house tender for Calderdale health authority laundry services was £18,000 less than any private tender, he will reverse his decision to require Calderdale health authority to reduce the cost of its tender and open the tendering process to private contractors.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

I discussed with the regional and district health authorities their appraisal of options for providing or procuring laundry services for Calderdale, and the implications of investing £2 million in the building of a new laundry. They said that there were options which had not been covered in their appraisal so far. They have undertaken to extend their appraisal to cover all relevant options.