§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consideration has been given to market testing the services provided by his Department's agencies; and if he will make a statement. [31558]
§ Mr. HanleyA prior options review of the diplomatic wing's executive agency, Wilton Park, took place in 1995. The study recommend that the commercial—that is, non-conference—operation be market tested by November 1997. This would not affect Wilton Park's core business of organising conferences on foreign policy matters. This has been endorsed by Ministers.
The ODA's agency—the Natural Resources Institute—has recently been transferred to private ownership.