§ Mr. TouhigTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what detailed criteria and what organisation will be used in bench marking activities when comparing sections in the Patent Office for contractorisation. [28068]
§ Mr. Ian TaylorIn areas identified as candidates for contractorisation, bids for managing contracted-out services will he evaluated against benchmarks for the forecast cost and quality of service from in-house provision. Detailed criteria will depend on the activity under consideration and will be decided upon when specifications are drawn up.
§ Mr. TouhigTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if the activities under consideration for contracting out in the Patent Office would require an order under the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994. [28072]
§ Mr. Ian TaylorCurrent expectations are that the activities which will be considered for contracting out would not require an order under the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act.
§ Mr. TouhigTo ask the President of the Board of Trade who will be responsible for preparing management or staff bids, for the Patent Office contractorisation; and what will be done to train and prepare staff for this role. [28070]
§ Mr. Ian TaylorUnder contracting out, staff are free at their own initiative to mount a bid alongside the private sector, but if successful would cease to be civil servants. Preparation and organisation of such bids would be a matter for the staff themselves. The Patent Office would make reasonable time available within working hours but would not lend more active support. All bids will be compared against a benchmark of the service remaining in the civil service which incorporates identified future efficiency savings and quality of service indicators. Only if the bidders demonstrate better value for money to the taxpayer will the work be moved outside the public sector.
§ Mr. TouhigTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what are the sections under consideration in the Patent Office for contractorisation, and the number of staff involved. [28069]
§ Mr. Ian TaylorThe Patent Office is being encouraged to contract out activities wherever this is compatible with its statutory role and good value for money. Whether any particular activity is considered as a candidate for contractorisation will depend on operational requirements, which are being assessed.
In the case of marketing and the London Front Office, which might in principle be contractorised subject to value for money criteria, current activities are carried out by some 35 staff.
§ Mr. TouhigTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make it his policy to ensure that jobs affected by contractorisation of the Patent Office will remain in south Wales. [28074]
§ Mr. Ian TaylorThe location of jobs relating to contracted out services will be a matter for the contractor.
§ Mr. TouhigTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the time-scale involved for contractorisation of Patent Office functions. [28071]
§ Mr. Ian TaylorThe time-scale for contractorisation of Patent Office functions will depend on operational requirements which are currently being assessed by officials.