§ Mr. DonohoeTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the use of private detective agencies and security companies by his Department.
§ Mr. ScottThis Department and its executive agencies use private companies to carry out a range of activities. This is done as part of our continuing search for better value for money. The companies we use include a private firm to serve documents in connection with the collection of arrears of national insurance contributions and private security companies for the guarding of some of our sites countrywide.