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Her Majesty's Stationery Office

Mr. Patrick Thompson: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has reached a decision on the short-list of bidders for HMSO. [30789]

Mr. Freeman: HMSO was advertised for sale in March, and a large number of organisations expressed interest in the sale. We subsequently received 14 indicative bids, and I am pleased to announce that the following parties have been short-listed:


Each of these will now prepare final bids based on detailed information about HMSO and discussions with its management and staff.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

Her Majesty's Stationery Office

Mr. Patrick Thompson: To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, representing the House of Commons Commission, what progress has been made in drawing up a contract for the provision of printing and publishing services to the House after the privatisation of Her Majesty's Stationery Office. [30990]

Mr. Beith: A draft contract has been prepared by the House's legal advisers, and has been approved by the Commission for release to the short-listed organisations bidding for HMSO. A copy of the draft--excluding certain financial provisions which are commercially confidential--will be placed in the Library on Tuesday 4 June when the House returns from the spring adjournment. The Commission considers that the draft contract provides the safeguards stipulated in the Speaker's letter of 28 November 1995 to the Lord President of the Council, Official Report, 11 December 1995, columns 455-57.

The provisions of the draft contract are not subject to negotiation with the short-listed bidders.

22 May 1996 : Column: 192

TREASURY

Market Testing

Mr. Redmond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list for each of his agencies what market testing has been carried out into the services they provide and what were the results. [30045]

Mrs. Angela Knight: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the chief executives of the Royal Mint, the Office for National Statistics, the Valuation Office and Paymaster agencies. I have asked each of them to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from A. J. Longford to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 22 May 1996:

In your question to the Chancellor (ref: 30045) you ask what market testing has been carried out into the services provided by the Agency and what were the results.


Letter from Roger Holmes to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 22 May 1996:



    The Chancellor of the Exchequer has asked me to reply to your Question about market testing.
    The Royal Mint has operated as a trading fund since 1 April 1975 and already runs on a commercial basis with normal private sector disciplines rigorously applied. As a leading player in export markets with two-thirds of our sales overseas, all our sourcing decisions must be commercial. In these circumstances the Royal Mint does not operate a formal market testing programme, but managers review regularly whether goods and services should be provided internally or outsourced and, as a result, sub-contract or outsource a wide range of items.
    I trust my reply is helpful.

Letter from Keith Sullens to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 22 May 1996:



    The Chancellor of the Exchequer has asked me to reply to your Question asking if he will list for each of his agencies what market testing has been carried out into the services they provide and what were the results.

22 May 1996 : Column: 193


    The following tables show what services PAYMASTER has had market tested and what the results were:

    Banking business

    Service Market TestedResult
    56 NHS Trusts and Health AuthoritiesEither retained existing level of business or gained additional business in some cases
    Teachers' Pensions AgencyLost the banking transaction business but retained the vote funding element
    NHS Pensions AgencyRetained
    Countryside Council for WalesRetained
    Further Education Funding CouncilRetained
    Funding Agency for SchoolsWon
    English NaturePart retained
    BBSRCPart retained

    Pension services

    Service Market TestedResult
    Teachers' Pensions Agency
    Database and Payroll ServicesRetained
    Customer ServicesLost to in house bidder
    NHS Pensions Agency
    Pensioner Payroll and AdministrationRetained via subcontract with MDIS
    Pensioner Administration Computer SystemLost

Letter from Tim Hold to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 22 May 1996:



    The Chancellor of the Exchequer has asked me to reply to your Question of 17 May about market testing of services provided by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
    The ONS was created as a new government department and executive agency on 1 April 1996. It brought together the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys (OPCS) and the Central Statistical Office (CSO). This response provides information covering market tests completed by March 1995. Competing for Quality figures for the period between April 1995 and March 1996 are being compiled for the ONS Efficiency Plan. It is anticipated that this information will be published in the 1996 Next Steps Review.
    CSO Market Testing Activities up to March 1995:
    Activities included in the 1995 Next Steps Review
    Catering Services
    Retail Price Index (local price collection)
    Statistical Methodology
    Training
    Other activities, not published in the 1995 Next Steps Review
    Internal Audit
    Graphic Design Services
    Producer Price Index (computer development)
    Four of these were awarded externally, three retained in-house.
    OPCS Market Testing Activities up to March 1995:
    Activities included in the 1995 Next Steps Review
    Reprographics
    London Housekeeping
    Registration Bindery
    Redevelopment of NHSCR IT system
    Other activities not published in the 1995 Next Steps Review
    Voice and Data Communications
    One of these was awarded to the private sector, four were retained in-house.

22 May 1996 : Column: 194

Community Transit Procedures

Mr. Mike O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what evidence the Government has submitted to the European Parliament committee of inquiry into community transit procedures. [30167]

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: At a preliminary stage of its work, the European Parliament committee of inquiry into community transit procedures invited Governments to respond to the areas of investigation outlined under its terms of reference. A response by HM Customs and Excise was sent to the committee on 19 March 1996. I have arranged for a copy to be placed in the Members' Library.

Income Level Research

Mr. Gapes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will arrange for the Inland Revenue to increase the sample size of information collected from its files to enable a more accurate assessment of income levels by local authority area. [30398]

Mr. Jack: The size of the sample for the survey of personal incomes is set with a view to meeting efficiently its primary purpose of providing information relevant to the costing of income tax proposals affecting the United Kingdom as a whole. As such, a plan to increase its size is not required.

Some information from the survey of personal incomes on income levels by local authority areas is already published in "Inland Revenue Statistics 1995". Like all information derived from sample surveys, the figures are subject to statistical variation and the published tables indicate which estimates are particularly uncertain.


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