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Public Appointments
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 11 December 1996, Official Report, column 281-84, what factors underlay the extension of the period of office of the Scottish Office appointees to each of the non-departmental public bodies listed. [12141]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: It is common practice for individuals to be offered re-appointment where they have achieved a satisfactory standard of performance and this was the case in each of the extensions concerned. The Commissioner for Public Appointments has confirmed this practice in the case of first re-appointments but has advised that second re-appointments should be exceptional and normally subject to a scrutiny process, including consideration of other candidates.
Ayrshire and Arran Health Board
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for the last two financial years and for the current financial year the names of public relations companies employed by Ayrshire and Arran health board and the cost of these contracts to the health board during these periods. [12294]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: This information is not collected centrally. This is a matter for Ayrshire and Arran health board.
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Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the effect on spending on public relations by the Ayrshire and Arran health board of the appointment by the board of a communications manager. [12295]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: This information is not held centrally.
Public Relations
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how much (a) Dunbartonshire Enterprise and (b) Grampian Enterprise spent on contracts with public relations and marketing companies during the financial years (i) 1995-96, (ii) 1994-95 and (iii) 1996-97 to date; and if he will indicate the companies involved; [12151]
- (2) if he will make a statement on the repeated refusal by Grampian Enterprise and Dunbartonshire Enterprise to supply information requested by the hon. Member for Cunninghame, South in respect of their expenditure on public relations and marketing contracts during the last two years; and what assessment he has made of (i) the reasons the hon. Member is denied the information and (ii) the consistency of this refusal with the new procedures put in place by the enterprise network to promote greater openness in its operations. [12431]
Mr. Kynoch [holding answer 23 January 1997]: This is a matter for Dunbartonshire Enterprise and Grampian Enterprise Ltd. respectively. I understand that they have now written to the hon. Member.
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if the normal tendering arrangements operated by his Department in respect of its non-departmental public bodies were fully implemented in respect of the recent contract awarded by Scottish Enterprise to Beattie Media; in what circumstances his Department is able to dispense with these procedures; and if he will make a statement. [12152]
Mr. Kynoch [holding answer 23 January 1997]: The award of this contract complied with departmental requirements and I understand that it also complied with Scottish Enterprise's detailed internal guidance on tendering.
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information the Scottish Office received about Scottish Enterprise's contract with Beattie Media during the negotiations and before the award of the contract; and which individual within Scottish Enterprise took the decision to award its recent public relations contract to Beattie Media. [12153]
Mr. Kynoch [holding answer 23 January 1977]: Scottish Enterprise is not required to advise the Department of such contracts. Details of the decision making process are a matter for Scottish Enterprise and I have asked the chairman to write to the hon. Member.
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the recent award of a public relations contract by Scottish Enterprise to Beattie Media, indicating the value of the contract, the period over which it will operate and what services are covered by the contract. [12154]
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Mr. Kynoch [holding answer 28 January 1997]: This is a matter for Scottish Enterprise and I have asked the chairman to write to the hon. Member directly.
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what arrangements for tendering for public relations contracts are stipulated by the Scottish Office in respect of Scottish Enterprise and other non-departmental public bodies. [12155]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 23 January 1997]: Scottish Enterprise and other non-departmental public bodies are expected to comply with the relevant provisions of Government accounting, which require that purchasing should be based on value for money and that goods and services should be acquired by competition unless there are convincing reasons to the contrary. These provisions make no distinction between contracts for public relations and for other purposes.
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will ask for a report from Scottish Enterprise in respect of its recent contract with Beattie Media to clarify whether the contract was awarded outside of normal tendering procedures operated by Scottish Enterprise. [12302]
Mr. Kynoch [holding answer 23 January 1997]: I have already been informed that the award of this contract complied with Scottish Enterprise's internal guidance on tendering.
Scottish Enterprise Contracts
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on how many occasions during the current and previous financial year Scottish Enterprise has awarded contracts inconsistent with tendering arrangements stipulated by his Department; and if he will list the companies involved in these contracts and the values of the contracts. [12157]
Mr. Kynoch [holding answer 23 January 1997]: Scottish Enterprise is expected to comply with all relevant aspects of Government accounting which emphasises the importance of value for money and requires that goods and services be acquired by competition unless there are convincing reasons to the contrary.
I am not aware of any contracts awarded which failed to comply with that requirement, but this is an area subject to scrutiny by Scottish Enterprise's auditors.
Forestry Commission Land
Dr. Strang: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what area of Forestry Commission (a) land and (b) woodland has been sold in (i) England, (ii) Scotland and (iii) Wales in each year since 1979; and what area he proposes should be available for future sale. [12485]
Mr. Kynoch [holding answer 24 January 1997]: The subject of the question relates to matters undertaken by Forest Enterprise. I have asked its chief executive, Mr. Gordon Cowie, to arrange for a reply to be given.
28 Jan 1997 : Column: 180
Letter from Gordon M. Cowie to Dr. Gavin Strang, dated 28 January 1997:
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