HC Deb 02 July 1992 vol 210 c691W
Mr. Frank Field

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if it is his intention that private sector contractors who undertake civil service work will remain within the scope of public scrutiny; and will members of the public still have recourse to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration in respect of activities which are contracted out.

Mr. Waldegrave

Where civil servant work is contracted out following a market-testing exercise, the accountability of Ministers to Parliament remains unchanged. The Comptroller and Auditor General will continue to audit the Departments concerned. The jurisdiction of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration is unaffected.

Mr. Frank Field

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if foreign employees of private sector contractors will have to conform to established civil service practices on the confidentiality of information they may handle; and whether they will be required to sign the Offical Secrets Act 1989.

Mr. Waldegrave

Private sector contractors undertaking classified work for Government Departments are obliged, through contract conditions, to conform to standard procedures for the protection of classified information. It is for contractors to enforce those obligations on their staff. Where the Official Secrets Act 1989 applies, employees receive notice that they are subject to the Act, and are normally required to sign a declaration acknowledging their obligations under it.