HC Deb 20 July 1988 vol 137 cc697-8W
Mr. David Martin

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps are taken to ensure that his Department's small firms advice division does only work which cannot be carried out by the private sector.

Mr. Sainsbury

The activities of the small firms advice division are entirely appropriate to the public sector. In particular, the division does not undertake dedicated, in-depth consultancy work; nor is there any intention that it should do so.