HC Deb 26 June 1995 vol 262 cc472-3W
Mr. McNamara

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list those parts of his Department or departmental agencies which were privatised without an in-house bid; if he will indicate the expertise which was absent in his Department or departmental agencies which prevented an in-house bid taking place; which future parts of his Department or departmental agencies he intends to privatise; and which of them do not have the necessary in-house expertise to mount an in-house bid. [29426]

Sir John Wheeler

Functions within the Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Departments which have been contracted out as a result of market testing are as follows:

Department of Education This Department contracted out two functions: catering and security at Waterside house for which there were no in-house bids. In these cases, the catering staff did not express an interest in submitting a bid and Waterside house was a newly opened building; therefore, no security staff were previously employed. There are no current plans to contract-out any other functions.

Department of Health and Social Services This Department contracted out the health and personal social services computer mainframe operations without an in-house bid as the Department judged that the private sector was clearly better equipped to deliver the specific service and had the capacity to invest in new technology. There are no current plans to contract out further functions.

NI Child Support Agency The following services were contracted out without in-house bids:

  • Facilities Management
  • Typing
  • Telephonists
  • Receptionist
  • Cleaning
  • Security
  • Post Opening
  • Messengerial
  • Porterage
  • Handyman
  • Catering
  • Reprographic
  • Stationery Store
  • Off-Site File Store
The provision of these services arose when the agency was set up in April 1993 and there was no existing in-house capacity. There are no current plans to contract out further functions.

Department of the Environment This Department contracted out the following services without an in-house bid: Minor road surface dressing and general road maintenance work. Grounds maintenance at historic monuments and country parks Secretariats for the Council for Nature Conservation and the Countryside, the Historic Monuments Council and the Historic Buildings Council. The operation of Castle Archdale caravan site. In-house bids in these cases were not prevented by lack of expertise. This Department has currently identified, subject to value for money considerations, the following activities for contracting out. various roads service provider activities management of the Marina at Castle Archdale country park and the operation of the small railway at Peatlands country park; and research and analysis work associated with the preparation of area development plans and co-ordination of the Department's property certificate service. Expertise is available to mount in-house bids.

Northern Ireland Office This Department contracted out office cleaning, Government car hire and air travel contracts without an in-house bid as no NIO staff previously performed these tasks. No parts of the remaining Departments and Agencies have been privatised without an in-house bid taking place. Any future contacting out will depend on the outcome of market testing. There are no plans to prevent in-house bids in any future tests.