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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:
- an independent consortium backed by Mercury Asset Management, 3i and Capita;
a Hambros consortium;
National Publishing Group, a consortium led by Electra Fleming;
Westminster Information System, led by NatWest Ventures.
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
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.
22 May 1996 : Column: 193
22 May 1996 : Column: 194
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.
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.
Letter from Roger Holmes to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 22 May 1996:
The Valuation Office is an Executive Agency within the Inland Revenue and carries out valuations of land and buildings for a wide range of clients in the public sector throughout England, Wales and Scotland, including an estate surveying and valuation service for other government departments, public bodies and local authorities.
The main functions of the Valuation Office are to:
undertake rating and council tax valuation work in England and Wales;
provide valuation services to the Inland Revenue in England, Wales and Scotland mainly in connection with inheritance tax and capital gains tax;
provide various other statutory and non-statutory valuation services to Government Departments and the wider public sector in England, Wales and Scotland;
assess, make and recover contributions in lieu of rates in respect of Crown occupation of properties within the United Kingdom, Isle of Man and Gibraltar and make payments of rates in respect of properties in the United Kingdom occupied by overseas Governments;
Provide policy advice to Government Departments and Ministers on property valuation matters.
The initiative to undertake market testing for non-statutory work rests with other government departments, public bodies and local authorities and the Valuation Office responds by tendering on a regular basis for estate surveying and valuation services in competition with the private sector.
Please let me know if I can assist further.
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 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.
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.
Letter from Tim Hold to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 22 May 1996:
The following tables show what services PAYMASTER has had market tested and what the results were:
Service Market Tested Result
56 NHS Trusts and Health Authorities Either retained existing level of business or gained additional business in some cases
Teachers' Pensions Agency Lost the banking transaction business but retained the vote funding element
NHS Pensions Agency Retained
Countryside Council for Wales Retained
Further Education Funding Council Retained
Funding Agency for Schools Won
English Nature Part retained
BBSRC Part retained
Service Market Tested Result
Teachers' Pensions Agency
Database and Payroll Services Retained
Customer Services Lost to in house bidder
NHS Pensions Agency
Pensioner Payroll and Administration Retained via subcontract with MDIS
Pensioner Administration Computer System Lost
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.
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