§ Mr. FisherTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will publish tables showing the amount spent on(a) acquiring and (b) commissioning goods and services by his Department in each of the last five years.
§ Mr. JackDepartmental purchasing information systems do not differentiate between acquiring and commissioning goods and services. In 1987, a depart-mental purchasing supply directorate was established by 381W the Department of Health and Social Security. Before that date purchasing information in the Department of Health and Social Security was not consolidated and information for the financing year 1985–86 is not readily available. Information on purchasing expenditure for the financial years 1986–87 to 1988–89 is given in the table. The figures for the years 1986–87 to 1988–89 cover the Department of Health as well as the Department of Social Security. This information is set out in the annual reports of the Central Unit on Purchasing, copies of which are in the Library.
£ million 1986–871 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 Goods 244.118 268.348 205.090 187.835 Services 363.780 375.463 437.249 487.181 Capital 53.741 57.060 99.348 137.740 Total 661.639 700.838 741.687 812.756 1 Estimate.