§ Mr. WeirTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what her Department's policy is in relation to departmental spending for supplies concerning the purchase of fair trade goods. [15204]
§ Mr. Ivan Lewis[holding answer 16 November 2001]: The Department for Education and Skills takes every opportunity, like the Department for International Development (DFID), to promote fair trade products and also to support ethical trading in mainstream business. DfES seeks prices for both fair trade and non-fair trade 62W products from suppliers during tender exercises for the provision of catering services. In line with Government procurement policy the evaluation of tenders is based on value for money considerations having due regard to propriety and regularity. We also encourage our current catering providers to offer fair trade products as an option to customers in staff restaurants.