HL Deb 02 March 2004 vol 658 cc97-8WA
Lord Hylton

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether those responsible for government purchasing inquire into suppliers' policies and practices as regards labour rights and conditions in the supply chain, especially concerning computers and electronic goods from, for example, Mexico and south-east Asia. [HL1402]

Lord Davies of Oldham

Each government department is responsible for its procurement decisions, within the framework of the Government's procurement policy, based on value for money, and the EU procurement rules. The information required of suppliers should be relevant to the subject matter and performance of the particular contract and

Baroness Hollis of Heigham

Responsibility for ensuring that cleaners at airports are provided with the necessary instruction and equipment to deal safely with spilled blood lies with their employers. As regards risks to the cleaners themselves, health and safety legislation requires their employers (as it does all employers) to assess the risks arising from their work and to take steps to mitigate any risks so identified.

The leaflet Injection at Work: Controlling the risk (available only via the Internet at http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/infection.pdf) gives guidance on accidental exposure to micro-organisms when handling waste material, including animal waste. This guidance is relevant to cleaning work