§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list each instance in which Ministers or officials of his Department have been involved in the decision-making process in specific cases where the contracting-out of services in the National Health Service has been decided or is under consideration.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThere have been numerous communications between our Department and individual health authorities about competitive tendering. It is not possible to identify and list them all.
§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list representations received from hon. Members in favour of contracting-out National Health Service services in general or in specific cases.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeMany communications from hon. Members mention their support for our policy of 647W obtaining greater cost-effectiveness in NHS support services through competitive tendering. It would not be practicable to identify all these or to list them.