§ 26. Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will cancel all pending contracts or other plans to sell or privatise the property or services currently owned or managed by the Benefits Agency and its staff; and if she will make a statement. [902]
§ Mr. FieldThere is no proposal to privatise any Benefits Agency service.
A number of initiatives are in place which are designed to test the value of involving external suppliers in DSS operations. We are reviewing them against our objective to modernise the delivery of the welfare system.
We also need to measure them against our approach to partnership with the private sector; the implications for customer service, staff and the taxpayer; and our commitment to work within announced spending totals for the first two years of the Government.
We will make announcements in due course.