§ Brian CotterTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what steps she is taking to ensure that external bids are subject to competition from benchmarking against a detailed in-house bid in relation to the current contract held by W. S. Atkins and Hays in her Department's Patent Office when the contract is reviewed; [5872]
(2) if she will make a statement on her use of the partnership agreement between the unions and his Department in regard to the review of contacts at her Department's Patent Office. [5871]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonI will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible and place a copy of that letter in the Libraries of the House.