HC Deb 17 April 1996 vol 275 cc545-53W
Mr. Donohoe

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many contracts for goods or services have been awarded by his Department and its executive agencies on the basis of single negotiated contracts in each of the last three years; if he will list the companies involved and the value of the contract in each case; what percentage this represented of contracts awarded by his Department and its agencies after competitive tendering; and, in each case, why the contracts were awarded on the basis of a single negotiated tender. [22864]

Mr. Boswell

From records held centrally, over the last three financial years the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and its executive agencies have let 383 contracts via the single negotiated process. These represent 19 per cent. of the total number reported in my recent reply.

The additional information requested, where it is not confidential, has been listed in the schedules. However, it has not been possible with the resources available to list the reasons why individual decisions to use single negotiated tender were taken. The cost would have been entirely disproportionate. The criteria available to the Ministry for opting for single negotiated contracts are limited and encompass time constraints which do not permit competitive tendering; technical compatibility with existing equipment or systems; or numbers of suppliers restricted to non-competitive levels.

Where research is concerned, much is done under long-standing commissions or "umbrella" contracts with research councils and other bodies. Apart from these, free-standing contracts are awarded, some of which are single tender negotiated contracts. The latter option is taken either when there is reasonable certainty that there is only one contractor with the knowledge to undertake the work, or when the idea for work comes through a concept note and it would clearly be an infringement of intellectual property rights and unfair on the contractor concerned to allow others access to the idea.

Schedule A: Non-Research and Development
Contractor Type 1993–94£ 1994–95£ 1995–96£
ADAS Evaluation work 7,638
7,915
British Library Evaluation work 823
411
93
Water Research Centre plc Evalution work 2,816
4,217
10,358
Soil Survey and Land Research centre (Silsoe) (aka Cranfield University) Evalution work 6,247 4,465
4,404, 4,465
Inveresk Research Evaluation work 1,469
2,938
1,469
Company not disclosed Evaluation work 5,346
9,623
823
1,069
Ecosurveys Ltd Evaluation work 1,763
3,922
1,137
758
Imperial College Consultants Ltd. Evaluation work 2,820
Consultants in Environmental Services Evaluation work 7,344 4,179
2,535
CITERA Evaluation work 2,350
1,083
Natural Resources Institute (NRI) Evaluation work 3,738
Natural Environment Evaluation work 9,750
Company not disclosed Evaluation work 354
Company not disclosed Evaluation work 500
DBL Consultancy Consultancy 1,375 162
485
646
323
646
Touchstone Consultancy 1,049
Ingres Consultancy Consultancy 479
Triad 30,848
Laboratory of the Government Chemist (LGC) 755,000 7,11,000 697,400
Long Ashton Aquatic Weeds Research Centre 12,000
Laboratory of the Government Chemist(LGC) Advice, support and assessment 30,000 30,000 30,000
Local Authorities Co-ordinating Body on Food and Trading Standards (LACOTS) Sample collection in meat and animal products 32,900 15,000
BMRB International 50,760 49,350
Clifmar Associates Analysis of samples 51,941
Fray Design Ltd. Specialist Furniture 1,903 13,588
Frame Express Specialist Furniture 1,537
Arthur Brett Specialist Furniture 8,646 2,244
Storacell Voice System Ltd. Call sequence for hotline and upgrade of system 9,943 9,204
BT Sales Terminal for Hotline 4,834 18,919
Reprographic Services (UK) Ltd. Document Management Service 160,000
Taylor, Young and Partners Design study Northallerton 10,000
Design study Exeter 9,000
Additional work Northallerton 4,500
Benson Network Support Systems (BNSS) Part 1 project record system 6,485
MMU Reporting Database 7,648
Herring Baker Harris Valuation of ADAS centres 10,543
Peter Smith Associates Furniture move 4,659
Yates, Edge Greatorex Incinerator CSL York 75,000
Midlands Electricity plc Utility 161,843 71,082
Eastern Electricity plc Utility 89,647 90,583
British Gas plc Utility 61,915
Southern Electric Utility 55,739 53,673
East Midlands Utility 53,035

Schedule A: Non-Research and Development
Contractor Type 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96
£ £ £
South Western Electricity Utility 52,771
Norweb plc Utility 79,519
British Telecommunications plc Telecoms 632,078 675,833
The Quentin Bell Organisation plc Publicity 462,520 202,703
Postage by Phone Pitney Bowes plc Postage 127,300 132,050
Post Office Counters Ltd. Postage 100,360 80,110
Royal Mail Postage 74,627 66,578
The Meteorological Office Data 167,336 103,044
Ordnance Survey Data
Total of contracts 1,210,814 2,957,652 2,504,072
Number of contracts 66 41 33

Schedule B: Research and Development
Contractor Total cost
Contracts issued 1994–95
Aberdeen University, Zoology 19,085
AEA Technology, Consultancy Services 58,118
Alan Martin Associates 10,802
Ashbourne Biosciences 32,879
Aston University, Department Pharmaceutical and Biological Studies 58,950
B and P Instrumentation Ltd. 16,380
BBSRC, Silsoe Research Institute 114,373
BBSRC, Silsoe Research Institute 68,449
Beta Technology Ltd. 43,200
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council Institutes1 20,383,395
Bristol University 64,471
Bristol University1 105,974
Bristol University, Department Agricultural Sciences 32,540
Bristol University, Food Refrigeration and Proc. Eng. 8,419
Bristol University, Veterinary Medicine 113,127
Cambac JMA Research Ltd. 240,979
Coventry University, Environmental Research + Consultancy 177,409
Cranfield University1 1,456.500
Department of Transport 33,520
East Anglia University, School of Biological Science 106,510
Elm Farm Research Centre 92,000
Environmental Research Technology Ltd. 58,180
Game Conservancy Trust 97,155
GENUS 214,346
Glasgow University 91,162
Glasgow University, Veterinary School 40,974
H. R. Wallingford Group Ltd.1 673,200
Harper Admas Agricultural College 172,137
Horticulture Research International1 19,371,951
IACR, Institute of Arabie Crops Research 294,753
IACR, Long Ashton Research Station 29,896
IACR, Rothamsted Experimental Station 40,951
IACR, Rothamsted Experimental Station 52,640
IGER, Aberystwyth Research Station 143,149
Institute of Oceanographic Sciences 38,228
Institute of Plant Science Research 297,038
Leicester University, Department of Botany 159,957
Leicester University, Department of Zoology 126,566
Leicester University, Mass Communication Research 77,392
Manchester University, Department of Pharmacy 25,066
Marine Resource Consultants Ltd. 4,500
Medical College, St. Batholomew's Hospital 121,240
National Institute of Agricultural Botany 60,534
National Institute of Agricultural Botany1 313,876
Natural Environment Research Council Institutes1 2,944,177
Natural Resources Institute 58,413
Contractor Total cost
NERC, Institute of Terrestial Ecology, Edinburgh 470,353
Nottingham University, Applied Biochemistry and Food Science 28,558
Nottingham University, Department Physiology and Environmental 66,160
Nottingham University, Department of Genetics 51,305
Contracts issued 1994–95
Aberdeen University, Zoology 19,085
AEA Technology, Consultancy Services 58,118
Alan Martin Associates 10,802
Ashbourne Bilsciences 32,879
Aston University, Department Pharmaceutical and Biological studies 58,950
B and P Instrumentation Ltd. 16,380
BBSRC, Silsoe Research Institute 114,373
BBSRC, Silsoe Research Institute 68,449
Beta Technology Ltd. 43,200
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council Institutes1 20,383,395
Bristol University 64,471
Bristol University1 105,974
Bristol University, Department Agricultural Sciences 32,540
Bristol University, Food Refrigeration and Proc. Eng. 8,419
Bristol University, Veterinary Medicine 113,127
Cambac JMA Research Ltd. 240,979
Conventry University, Environmental Research+ Consultancy 177,409
Cranfield University1 1,456,500
Department of Transport 33,520
East Anglia University, School of Biological Science 106,510
Elm Farm Research Centre 92,000
Environmental Research Technology Ltd. 58,180
Game Conservancy Trust 97,155
GENUS 214,346
Glasgow university 91,162
Glasgow University, Veterinary School 40,974
H.R Wallingford Group Ltd.1 673,200
Harper Admas Agricultural College 172,137
Horticulture Research International1 19,371,951
IACR, Institute of Arabie Crops Research 294,753
IACR, Long Ashton Research Station 29,896
IACR, Rothamsted Experimental Station 40,951
IACR, Rothamsted Experimental Station 52,640
IGER, Aberystwyth Research Station 143,149
Institute of Oceanographic sciences 38,228
Institute of Plant Science Research 297,038
Leicester University, Departmental of Botany 159,957
Leicester University, Departmental of Zoology 126,566
Leicester University, Mass Communication Research 77,392
Manchester University, Department of Pharmacy 25,006
Contractor Total cost
Marine Resource Consultants Ltd. 4,500
Medical College, St. Batholomew's Hospital 121,240
National Institute of Agricultural Botany 60,534
National Institute of Agricultural Botany1 313,876
Natural Environment Research Council Institutes1 2,944,177
Natural Resources Institute 58,413
NERC, Institute of Terrestial Ecology, Edinburgh 470,353
Nottingham University, Applied Biochemistry and Food Science 28,558
Nottingham University, Department Physiology and Environmental 66,160
Nottingham University, Department of Genetics 51,305
Oxford University 6,150
Oxford University, Growth and Development 26,655
Oxford University, Zoology 140,478
Phoenix Research Laboratory 66,165
Portsmouth University, Economic Department 8,885
Reading University1 113,648
Roslin Institute, Edinburgh 77,660
Rowett Research Institute 151,238
Royal Veterinary College 101,957
Royal Veterinary College 99,787
Scottish Agricultural College, Ayr 25,092
Scottish Agricultural College, Edinburgh 162,405
Sea Fish Industry Authority1 148,900
Sea Mammal Research Unit 88,853
Silsoe College, Cranfield Institute of Technology 180,095
Southampton University 10,000
Southampton University, School of Biological Science 319,392
Stirling University, Institute of Agriculture 158,152
Stirling University, Institute of Agriculture 28,329
Surrey University, Biological Sciences 18,650
Surrey University, Biological Sciences 9,325
Surrey University, Biological Sciences 255,129
Surrey University, Management Studies for Tourism 388,342
TecnEcon Ltd. 13,897
UCNW, Marine Science 113,522
UCNW, Ocean Sciences 77,925
UCNW, Ocean Sciences 80,925
UL, Imperial College of Medicine and Science 43,780
UL, University College, Department of Geography 162,059
United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority 400
University of Hertfordshire 197,772
University Wales, Bangor 122,566
University Wales, Cardiff, School Pure + Applied Biology 16,875
Wales University, Swansea 7,874
Wisdom Agricultural Limited 92,428
95,549,295
Contracts Issued during 1995–96
ABP Research and Consultancy Ltd. 23,500
Alistair Hardy Foundation for Ocean Science 492,868
Aston University, Department Pharmaceutical and Biological Studies 9,500
Aston University, Department Pharmaceutical and Biological Studies 48,625
BBSRC, Silsoe Research Institute 196,493
Beta Technology Ltd. 44,200
Beta Technology Ltd. 88,400
Bradford University, Food Policy Research Unit 67,781
Bristol University 57,137
Bristol University1 1,855,612
Bristol University, Veterinary Medicine 279,327
Bristol University, Veterinary Medicine 227,901
British Trust For Ornithology 1,277
Cambac JMA Research Ltd. 86,923
Cambridge Laboratory 279,908
Cambridge University 93,118
Contractor Total cost
Central Science Laboratory 399,598
CSL, Harpenden 146,911
Dr. P. J. Dare 11,100
Forest Research Station (Alice Holt) 81,000
Forestry Authority 20,000
Glasgow University, Marine Biological Station 196,850
Gould Rural Environmental Ltd. 22,916
Horticulture Research International1 9,517,820
H. R. Wallingford Group Ltd. 234,000
HRI, Wellesbourne 125,515
HRI, Wellesbourne 210,065
Hydraulics Research Wallingford Group Ltd. 225,000
IACR, Broom's Barn Experimental Station 72,632
IACR1 2,838,677
IACR, Institute of Arable Crops Research 60,045
IGER, Inst. of Grasslands and Environment Research 93,877
IGER, Inst. of Grasslands and Environment Research 490,000
IGER1 3,928,922
IAH1 5,547,933
Institute of Occupational Medicine Limited 217,278
Institute of Zoology 154,317
IPS1 415,000
IPSR, John Innes Centre 149,257
John Spenser 2,000
Joint Nature Conservation Committee 4,255
Leatherhead Food Research Association 10,703
Levington Agriculture Ltd. 136,545
Liverpool University 184,575
Liverpool University 140,751
Lynch, Professor 15,034
Mylnefield Research Services Ltd. 87,565
National Trust 2,000
Natural Environment Research Council Institutes1 2,021,210
Nottingham University, Agriculture and Horticulture 221,501
Nottingham University, Faculty Agriculture and Food Science 94,440
Oxford University, Zoology 162,144
Plymouth University 163,676
Portsmouth University, Economic Department 100,501
Portsmouth University, Economic Department 2,200
Professor H. Kay 5,000
Reading University1 23,156
Richardson, Professor 7,625
Rodgers, Dr. Chris J 21,000
Roslin1 1,116,794
Roslin Institute, Edinburgh 275,512
Roslin Institute, Edinburgh 106,843
Royal Agricultural College 75,364
School of Ocean Sciences 138,037
Scottish Agricultural College, Edinburgh 113,338
Sea Fish Industry Authority 376,312
Southampton University 265,160
Southampton University, Department Oceanography 218,995
SRI1 1,665,489
Strathclyde University, Bioscience and Biotechnology 121,865
Strathclyde University, Statistics and Modelling 29,820
Surrey University, Biological Sciences 106,566
Surrey University, Biological Sciences 23,250
UL Queen Mary and Westfield College Sch. of Biol Sci 50,382
UL, Wye College, Horticulture 258,835
Univ. Aberdeen, Arkleton Cent. Rural Development 13,983
University of East Anglia 168,215
University of Hull 6,970
University of York, Department of Biology 119,143
University Wales, Bangor, Biological Sciences 202,864
Contractor Total cost
University Wales, Cardiff, School Pure + Applied Biology 10,325
University Wales, Cardiff, School Pure + Applied Biology 30,975
University Wales, Cardiff, School Pure + Applied Biology 174,241
Williams, Dr. 6,825
61,562,485

Mr. Donohoe

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what guidelines are currently in force in his Department and its executive agencies relating to competitive tendering and the use of single negotiated tenders; on what grounds single negotiated tenders can be used; and what procedures are in place within his Department to ensure that the use of single negotiated tenders in competitive tendering processes is justified in all cases. [22850]

Mr. Boswell

The Government's public purchasing policy consolidated guidelines require goods and services to be acquired by competition unless there are convincing reasons to the contrary. In addition, the EC procurement directives and the World Trade Organisation government procurement agreement require most contracts above specified thresholds to be awarded following competition, subject to certain specified exceptions. The central unit on procurement's guidance note No. 40 provides an overview of best practice in the competitive tendering process.

In carrying out its purchasing my Department follows these guidelines and has, where possible, incorporated them directly into its own internal guidance. It is intended to consolidate the available guidance as part of the review of the Ministry's purchasing procedures and guidance manual, which is currently under way.

The criteria for opting for single negotiated contracts are limited and encompass time constraints which do not permit competitive tendering; technical compatibility with existing equipment or systems; or numbers of suppliers restricted to non-competitive levels. Formal arrangements for controlling the use of single negotiated contracts will also be incorporated in the revised purchasing procedures and guidelines manual.