HC Deb 27 February 1996 vol 272 cc433-4W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he hopes to announce the contracts for Official Receiver services to be contracted out; and which services(a) will and (b) will not be contracted out, indicating the considerations underlying each decision. [16412]

Mr. Oppenheim

I hope to be able to make an announcement before the end of the month regarding the outcome of the contracting out exercise undertaken by the Insolvency Service.

Mr. Mitchell

To ask the President of the Board of Trade at what times the bidders for the work of the Official Receiver were allowed to change or adjust their bids; how many were(a) given and (b) not given this option; and if he will list the changes made to bids indicating their source. [16415]

Mr. Oppenheim

None of the six bidders invited to tender for the work available to be contracted out were permitted to change or adjust their final bids. They were all, however, invited to clarify certain points contained in their proposals during the technical and financial evaluation. The three organisations offering the best possibility of value for money were invited to further clarify some details of their proposals but no adjustment to their original bids was permitted.

Mr. Mitchell

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many bids for the Official Receiver's work were not in the form demanded by the tender documentation. [16414]

Mr. Oppenheim

All bids received were in the form specified in the invitation to tender.

Mr. Mitchell

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimate he has made of the impact on staff numbers if the work of the Official Receiver is transferred to the private sector; and when the trade unions will be notified of any redundancies. [16416]

Mr. Oppenheim

Up to 812 staff could be covered by the application of TUPE in any contracting out of official receivers functions.

No redundancies of staff in the Insolvency Service have been identified.