§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans she has for the careers service in Greenwich, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark, following the decision of the Grand Met Trust to withdraw its plans to take over the contract to run the service. [10530]
§ Mr. Forth[holding answer 22 January 1996]: The Department is discussing options with the four local authorities. The Department's priority is to ensure a high-quality careers service for the young people of the area.
§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many expressions of interest were received by each of the boroughs of Greenwich, Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham with regard to the contract to run these authorities' careers services; and which consortiums bid for the contract. [10532]
§ Mr. Forth[holding answer 22 January 1996]: There were four bids submitted for the combined area of Greenwich, Lewisham, Lambeth and Southwark. Bids were submitted on a commercial in confidence basis and the Department must respect the confidence of the other organisations involved.
§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment on what criteria the Grand Met Trust was given preferred bidder status in respect of the contract to run the careers service in the boroughs of Greenwich, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark; what experience Grand Met has had in providing a careers service; and how many people were employed by the subsidiary of Grand Met bidding to run the careers service when the Department awarded it preferred bidder status. [10531]
§ Mr. Forth[holding answer 22 January 1996]: Grand Met Trust submitted the best bid as measured against the criteria that were published in the "Prospectus for the Provision of London Careers Services from April 1996". Grand Met Trust has not previously provided a careers service. The Department recognised that bids might come from organisations entering this area of work for the first time. The prospectus stated, therefore, that such bidders must provide clear and realistic plans for meeting our requirements before the contract began. Grand Met Trust did so. The bid was submitted by Grand Met Trust, not a subsidiary. However, the trust stated its intention to form a subsidiary company to contract with the Department if preferred bidder status was awarded.
§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment on what occasions and on what date Grand Met Trust expressed an interest in partnerships to run local authority careers services; and on what dates it notified her Department of withdrawals of interest. [10533]
§ Mr. Forth[holding answer 22 January 1996]: Grand Met Trust submitted its bid to run the careers service in London's area 5 the boroughs of Greenwich, Lewisham, Lambeth and Southwark by the closing date of 10 April 1995. It confirmed its intention to withdraw from contract negotiations on 10 January 1996.