§ Mr. SpearingTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the implications of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 for the future competitive ability of any contracting undertakings accepting responsibilities currently those of directly managed units or trusts within the health service, compared to competing organisations tendering in the future which are not subject to the same obligations.
§ Mr. SackvilleNone. It is a matter for contractors through normal commercial practices and judgments to maintain their competitive ability throughout the market-testing process.