§ Mr. McCartneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what guidance she has issued on market testing for clinical services to ensure the quality of services in the clinical setting;
(2) what assessment she has made as to the extent to which recommended Government guidelines for market testing were complied with in respect of the tendering process for awarding a private contract for the pathology services for the North Hertfordshire trust.
§ Mr. SackvilleThe document "Market Testing in the National Health Service (Revised Guidance)", which set out the principles and methods to achieve quality in any service being market tested, was issued in June 1993. Copies of the document are available in the Library. The market testing of pathology services in the North Hertfordshire trust was already in train at that time. Chief executives are responsible for the proper conduct of market testing exercises in their trusts.