§ Mr. Galleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many health authorities operating an in-house laundry service have now awarded the tender for future service provision to a private firm; how many have now awarded contracts in-house; and how many have not yet awarded contracts.
§ Mr. WhitneySeventeen district health authorities have awarded a total of 20 laundry contracts to private contractors. Fifty-six in-house laundry tenders have been successful in 52 district health authorities. I regret the information on the number of contracts still to be awarded is not available centrally. However, at 31 March 1986 tenders had been invited for 52 per cent. of the total value of laundry services.
§ Mr. Galleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the total annual costs for each regional health authority for providing (a) laundry, (b) linen and (c) staff uniforms, including supply, replacement, maintenance and all overheads.
§ Mr. HayhoeExpenditure in 1984–85, as recorded in the annual accounts of regional and district health authorities, and special health authorities for the London postgraduate teaching hospitals, was as follows:
635W
Region Laundry Services £ million Linen Services £ million Northern 4.0 6.6 Yorkshire 4.7 8.6 Trent 5.1 10.0 East Anglian 2.6 4.3 North West Thames 4.6 8.9 North East Thames 5.6 10.4 South East Thames 5.7 8.7 South West Thames 4.7 8.6 Wessex 2.9 6.2 Oxford 2.9 4.5
Region Laundry Services £ million Linen Services £ million South Western 4.0 7.3 West Midlands 6.3 12.1 Mersey 4.6 6.7 North Western 5.5 10.2 Special health authorities for the London postgraduate teaching hospitals 0.8 1.7 Expenditure on staff uniforms is not recorded separately but is included in the figures for linen services. The figures include all direct pay and materials costs but not overhead expenses such as energy, transport and engineering maintenance, which are not apportioned between particular activities in the accounts.
§ Mr. Galleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has any proposals to review the tendering procedures for laundry, cleaning and catering services within the National Health Service, in so far as health authorities tendering in-house adjudicate on all tenders submitted; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WhitneyThe Department reviewed the procedures for competitive tendering for laundry, cleaning and catering services last year. As a result of this review the chairman of the National Health Service Management Board issued further guidance to regional chairmen on 3 January 1986. A copy was placed in the Library. This includes the advice that the evaluation team assessing tenders should not include anyone who was directly responsible for putting together the in-house tender.
§ Mr. Galleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much supplementary capital has been allocated to support services in-house tenders for laundry, cleaning and catering services since the competitive tendering process began.
§ Mr. WhitneyNo specific provision is made for this in capital allocations to regional health authorities which relate to the population served and in small part to the state of regions' capital stock. (The latter element is now being phased out of the allocation formula).
It is for regional health authorities to allocate capital to their districts in accordance with agreed plans and programmes. In doing so they take account of any capital requirements for successful in-house tenders. Any such capital cases are reflected in the tender price. Information is not collected centrally on this expenditure.
§ Mr. Galleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has any proposals to introduce competitive tendering for linen rental within the National Health Service; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WhitneyHealth authorities were sent specimen contracts and guidance notes for tendering for linen and garment rental services on 12 October 1984. This did not lead to the issue of tenders for linen hire and on 3 January 1986 the Department asked regional health authorities to encourage the districts to examine this option. I shall keep the situation under review.