§ Dr. MarekTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give a date when he will announce the areas of work in his Department to be market tested; and whether all relevant information will be made publicly available.
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§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeA provisional programme of areas of work to be market tested in my Department in 1992–93 has been drawn up and promulgated to Home Office staff. As promised in the White Paper "Competing for Quality", departmental targets for market testing in 1992–93 will be announced later this year.
§ Dr. MarekTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department wht estimate he has made of savings in his Department as a result of the market-testing programme.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe purpose of the market-testing programme is to test by competition the value for money represented by the present arrangements for undertaking activities and thereby to identify and introduce more effective arrangements. No estimate of likely savings has yet been made.
§ Dr. MarekTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the total cost so far of the market-testing initiative in his Department since November 1991.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe cost of the market-testing initiative in my Department from November 1991 to June 1992 is £150,000.