HC Deb 20 March 2002 vol 382 c390W
Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 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. [42992]

Dr. Howells

The DCMS is a mainly policy Department and has few activities capable of being outsourced. Some support services functions are able to be outsourced and during the last five years the provision of facilities management services have been contracted out after competitive tendering. The facilities services budget in total amounts to 0.15 per cent. of the total departmental budget and 5 per cent. of the administration budget. The saving of £60,000 annually represents a 4 per cent. saving of the facilities services budget but has also brought unquantifiable quality savings and industrial know-how. No market testing has taken place.