§ Mrs. MahonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he or his Department have had any representations from, or meetings with, SERCO plc; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what recent meetings he or his Department had with Capita plc; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. FreemanThe director of NHS procurement, Mr. Tom Critchley, has had two meetings in March and May with the director of Capita Health Care group to discuss the services which that company, in collaboration with SERCO plc, is prepared to offer by way of facilities management or technical and non-clinical support services to the NHS. The meetings were part of a wider series of meetings which Mr. Critchley and officials from the NHS procurement directorate have had with a number of service companies able and ready to bid for NHS site management contracts covering a range of different support services. By way of explanation I refer the hon. Member to paragraph 9.11 of the White Paper "Working for Patients".