HC Deb 27 February 1985 vol 74 c196W
70. Mr. Ward

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on his Department's public purchasing initiative.

Mr. Butcher

The aim of the public purchasing initiative is to use public purchasing to strengthen suppliers' competitiveness, consistent with purchasers' need to get value for money. It is the policy of the Government as a whole, not just the Department of Trade and Industry. The recent report by the Management and Personnel Office on "Government Purchasing" confirmed the principles of the public purchasing initiative but found that its implementation by purchasing Departments had been patchy. The Department is continuing to promote the policy throughout the public sector while a review of the methodology of the PPI is under way. The MPO's recommendations should help its operation in practice so far as central Government are concerned.