§ Mr. McAllionTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will list the firms of consultants used by her Department as part of the market testing programme since November 1991 together with the total cost; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythThe Health and Safety Executive, the employment Department headquarters and the Employment service have used the following consultants to advise on its market testing programme, at a total cost of £144,885 (including VAT and expenses):
- Coopers and Lybrand
- Ernst and Young
- John Pearce
- KPMG
- PA Consulting
§ Mr. McAllionTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will list all the market tests that have taken place in her Department since November 1991; whether the result was the maintenance of in-house provision or whether the service was contracted out; what was the name of the successful contractor where appropriate; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythFour tests have been completed. One is under negotiation and therefore details are confidential. Of the remainder, both the Employment Department headquarters and the employment service travel services contracts were awarded to Wagons Lit. In-house provision was maintained for the employment service's information technology mainframe service.
§ Mr. McAllionTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many staff in her Department are assigned to the market testing programme; how much the programme has cost her Department since November 1991; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythFull information on the costs and staffing involved in the market testing programme across the Employment Department group are not held centrally. I will write to the hon. Member when the information can be collated.