§ Mr. ChopeTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy that British mineral water be served at British embassies in Europe. [102770]
§ Mr. HainNo. The Government's Public Purchasing Consolidated Guidelines require goods and services to be acquired by competition unless there are convincing reasons to the contrary. The selection of a particular product or supplier solely on the grounds of national preference would run counter to this policy.