Small and Medium Enterprises (Hansard, 19 December 1995)

§ Mrs. Roche
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what advice has been given to procurement staff in(a) the diplomatic wing and (b) the ODA on the implications of purchasing from small and medium enterprises. [6645]

§ Mr. Hanley
The diplomatic wing of the FCO provides detailed advice about business with small and medium enterprises through its purchasing manual, which as been distributed to all officers in the Department with purchasing responsibilities, and to those in its executive agency, the Wilton Park conference centre.
In addition, the DTI video "Think Big, Buy Small" is shown to all participants in the Department's introductory training course "Working on Purchasing and Supply".
The ODA's "Guide to Aid Procedures" is being revised to include advice on procurement from small and medium enterprises and reflect present policy.

§ Mrs. Roche
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what work(a) the diplomatic 1055W wing of his Department and (b) the ODA have done to develop best practice in the publication of departmental procurement guidance material relevant to small and medium enterprises' needs. [6643]

§ Mr. Hanley
The diplomatic wing of the FCO promotes best practice relating to small and medium enterprises through its purchasing manual, which has been distributed to all officers in the Department with purchasing responsibilities and to those in its executive agency, the Wilton Park conference centre.
The manual reiterates current Government policy which is to encourage the development of small and medium enterprises by giving them a full opportunity to bid for public sector business. SMEs are included, wherever possible, in inquiries for quotations and invitations to tender.
The ODA is revising its own "Guide to Aid Procedures" to reflect similarly present policy.
General guidance for SME's on purchasing by the FCO and ODA is included in the DTI booklet "Tendering for Government Contracts".

§ Mrs. Roche
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress(a) the diplomatic wing of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and (b) the Overseas Development Administration have made regarding establishing a contact point with responsibility for liaison with relevant business support organisations and taking forward small and medium enterprise related public procurement initiatives. [6723]

§ Mr. Hanley
FCO diplomatic wing contact points have been established in central London, Croydon and Milton Keynes and communicated to the Department of Trade and Industry for inclusion in the DTI booklet "Tendering for Government Contracts". The ODA has similarly forwarded to the DTI a contact point and a list of procurement agents employed by the ODA.

§ Mrs. Roche
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings(a) the diplomatic wing of his Department and (b) the ODA have had since May 1995 with organisations representing small firms to review tendering procedures. [6644]

§ Mr. Hanley
The diplomatic wing of the FCO and the ODA have themselves had no meetings since May 1995 with organisations representing small firms to review tendering procedures. But on behalf of all departments, the Treasury's central unit on procurement met, on 27 September 1995, the CBI small firms panel, the Association of British Chambers of Commerce and the Forum of Private Business to review tendering procedures.