§ Mr. ByersTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 12 July,Official Report, columns 589–90, which company was finally awarded the contract; which company was originally recommended by officials; and what were the reasons for giving a direction.
§ Mr. Ancram[holding answer 18 July 1994]: The criteria for awarding public service contracts include such aspects as value for money, price and quality. Although officials had recommended that the contract in question be awarded to a previous contractor to the Northern Ireland civil service on the basis of, among other relevant criteria, a highly satisfactory performance, the Minister directed that it be awarded to a new contractor, Mount Charles Catering Ltd., on the determining factor of lowest cost.