§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether it is the policy of his Department to use fair trade products, as a matter of course, in(a) sales on departmental premises and (b) receptions and meetings involving staff and visitors. [142810]
§ Mr. PearsonThe sale and use of fair trade products by Departments of the Northern Ireland Administration and the Northern Ireland Office is limited to food products used in catering. Almost all staff catering services have been contracted out since the early nineties and the sale of food products on departmental premises, and their use in receptions and meetings involving staff and visitors, has therefore become the responsibility of the private sector suppliers.
There is no requirement to provide fair trade products. Government Departments in Northern Ireland are free to make their own decisions on such products against a background of obtaining best value for money, the European Community Procurement Directives and individual departmental objectives.