§ Mr. McAllionTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many staff in his Department are assigned to the market testing programme; how much the programme has cost his Department since November 1991; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. AitkenMarket testing is being handled as part of the Department's devolved management strategy. Its central market testing service, which offers advice and assistance to managers, currently comprises nine officials
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Activity Result In-house/Contractorized Successful contractor RN Simulator helicopter control operations Royal Naval Air Station Portland Contract Hunting Aircraft Ltd. Works Services Management, Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose Contract PSA Building Management, South, West Food Distribution in BAOR Contract NAAFI Freight Services BAOR Contract Edmond Depaire Air Weapon Ranges, RAF Cowden Retained in house RAF Holbeach Contract Assessment Services Ltd. Engineering and Supply/Multi-activity RAF Scampton Contract Hunting Aircraft Ltd. Recruitment exhibition production, RAF Henlow Contract Serco Ltd. Elementary Flying Training School, RAF Topcliffe Contract Hunting Aircraft Ltd. Aircraft Support Services—A&AEE, Boscombe Down Retained in house Catering Royal Naval Air Station, Yeovilton Contract ARA Services Plc HMS Drake, Devonport Contract RCO Support Services Ltd. Engineering and other activities Ground radio/radar maintenance, Royal Naval Air Station, Portland Contract Hunting Aircraft Ltd. Parachute servicing Contract Irvin G.B. Andover aircraft maintenance Contract FLS Aerospace (Lovaux) Wessex helicopter maintenance, RAF Shawbury Contract Serco Ltd. Engineering support No. 60 Squadron RAF Contract FLS Aerospace (Lovaux) Printing services BAOR Contract HMSO Helicopter maintenance and engineering at Royal Naval Air Stations Yeovilton, Culdrose and Portland Contract Hunting Aircraft Ltd. at an annual cost in salaries and ERNIC of about £260,000. Conduct of the market testing programme is the responsibility of the management areas themselves: sonic staff are dedicated to market testing but most carry out this function as part of their normal duties. It is not practicable to identify staff numbers or costs without incurring disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. McAllionTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all the market tests that have taken place in his 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 succesful contractor where appropriate; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. AitkenThe information requested is as follows:
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Activity Result In-house/Contractorized Successful contractor Aircraft maintenance Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton Contract Hunting Aircraft Ltd. Guarding at Abbey Wood site Bristol Contract Chubb Wardens Ltd. Reconnaissance Visits to Bristol new site Contracts Property Spectrum Peter Carol Coaches Bristol Moat House Bristol Hilton Swallow Royal Hotel British Rail Property Management Central London Contract Planned Maintenance Engineering Ltd. Escorts for School Children's Visits Contract Universal Aunts Ltd.