§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Solicitor-General if she will list the functions of her Department that have been(a) market tested and (b) outsourced in each of the last five years, specifying the (i) money saving and (ii) percentage saving in each case. [42987]
§ The Solicitor-General[holding answer 18 March 2002]: In relation to the Departments for which the Attorney-General is responsible, the answer is as follows:
Crown Prosecution Service
The CPS has not conducted any formal market testing activity in the last five years.
The CPS has, however, let a major contract for the provision of IT services under private finance initiative (PFI) principles in December 2001. The service provision is due to commence in April 2002.
Treasury Solicitor's Department
In March 1999 a new cleaning contract was awarded by the Treasury Solicitor's Department following a competitive tendering exercise. Another contract was let, after a further tendering exercise, for the Department's security guarding function in December 1999, as a consequence of the withdrawal of the previous (public sector) supplier. There were no cost savings in either case.
Serious Fraud Office
In the last five years the Serious Fraud Office has market tested and outsourced IT, telecoms and off-site storage services. The remaining information requested could be provided only by the individual consideration of all relevant finance files for the last five years. This would involve disproportionate cost.