§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many contracts over £92,500 have been let by his Department in the 1988–89 financial year and in the current financial year to date; and how many of these were(a) automatically renewed and (b) open to competition through advertisement throughout the European Community.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonThe number of contracts awarded by Scottish Office and covered by the provisions of the EC supplies directive, for which the current threshold is £92,500, was one in the 1988–89 financial year and three in the current financial year to date. Of these, two were awarded following advertisement in theOfficial Journal of the European Communities and two were considered to be exempt from advertising. One of the exempt contracts was awarded to the previous supplier and one to a new supplier.