HC Deb 20 December 1995 vol 268 cc1225-6W
Mrs. Roche

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what work her Department has done to develop best practice in the publication of departmental procurement guidance material relevant to small and medium enterprises' needs. [6631]

Mr. Paice

[holding answer 19 December 1995]: The Department has produced a purchasing manual which deals with all aspects of procurement, including purchasing from small and medium enterprises.

In addition, staff follow central guidance such as the best practice guides, issued by the central unit on procurement, and other recommendations, as in "An Efficiency Unit Scrutiny: The Government's Use of External Consultants", to keep documentation issued as simple and user-friendly as is practicable.

Mrs. Roche

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what meetings her Department has had since May 1995 with organisations representing small firms to review tendering procedures. [6632]

Mr. Paice

[holding answer 19 December 1995]: The Department was represented at a meeting with the CBI small firm panel, the Association of British Chambers of Commerce and the Forum of Private Business held on 27 September 1995 to review tendering procedures.

Mrs. Roche

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what advice has been given to procurement staff on the implications of purchasing from small and medium enterprises. [6633]

Mr. Paice

[holding answer 19 December 1995]: All staff involved in procurement have been issued with a purchasing manual which deals with all aspects of procurement including purchasing front small and medium enterprises.

Procurement staff also have copies of guidance issued by the central unit on procurement which has issued a series of best practice guides, copies of which are available in the Library.

Mrs. Roche

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what progress her Department has 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. [6714]

Mr. Paice

[holding answer 19 December 1995]: A contact telephone number for the purchasing co-ordinating unit of the former Employment Department is given in "Tendering for Government Contracts", a copy of which is available in the Library. That contact remains extant.