§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if staff from the Central Office of Information will be allowed to put in a bid for work earmarked for market testing which they currently carry out for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office; and if he will make a statement. [29981]
§ Mr. FreemanI refer the hon. Member to my answer of 23 November 1995,Official Report, column 235. I have decided that COI's activities should become more closely focused and it would not be compatible with this aim for COI to compete in market tests carried out by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.