| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Departmental Contracts
Mr. Alan Howarth: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the contracts awarded by his Department to (a) EDS, (b) Andersens, (c) BMI, (d) Capita and (e) Sema since 1992 and the broad function to be carried out by the contractor, and the value of the contract in each case. [17608]
Mr. John M. Taylor: The following information is held centrally on contracts awarded to the companies in question:
| Company | Number of contracts awarded since 1992 |
|---|---|
| EDS | 0 |
| Andersens | 2 |
| BMI | 0 |
| Capita | 6 |
| Sema | 4 |
All the above contracts relate to external consultancy and their total value is £512,613; commercial sensitivity prevents the disclosure of individual contract values.
Information on other contracts could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
The above information does not include contracts let by the Department's executive agencies, and I have asked the chief executives to reply separately to this question.
Letter from Peter Joyce to Mr. Alan Howarth, dated 28 February 1997:
The President of the Board of Trade has asked me to reply to your question about contracts awarded to EDS, Andersens, BMI, Capita and Sema by The Insolvency Service since 1992.
28 Feb 1997 : Column: 412
Letter from J. C. Octon to Mr. Alan Howarth, dated 28 February 1997:
In the absence of the Chief Executive on official business abroad I am replying for the Patent Office to your Parliamentary Question to the President of the Board of Trade about contracts placed with various named contractors. The Patent Office has awarded no contracts to any of the companies listed in the period since 1992.
Letter from Dr. Seton Bennett to Mr. Alan Howarth, dated 28 February 1997:
The President of the Board of Trade has asked me to reply on behalf of the National Weights and Measures Laboratory to your question about contracts awarded to five companies.
Letter from John Holden to Mr. Alan Howarth, dated 28 February 1997:
Mr. Wilson:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade on what terms the chief executive of Unipart was retained by his Department in connection with an initiative intended to improve the image of privatisation.[17396]
Mr. Lang
[holding answer 24 February 1997]: John Neill, the chief executive of the Unipart group of companies, was one of four chief executives and company chairmen who accepted my invitation to speak at a DTI conference-- "Privatisation: Setting Enterprise Free"--on 5 December 1996, the main purpose of which was to help British companies to secure privatisation business in other countries. Mr. Neill delivered a speech setting out his personal view on how the privatisation of Unipart had enabled the company to improve its performance. Like all speakers, he gave his services free of charge.
28 Feb 1997 : Column: 413
Mr. Carttiss:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to improve the arrangements for attracting inward investment into the eastern region; and if he will make a statement. [18558]
Mr. Greg Knight:
The attraction of inward investment is a major UK success story and the Government intend to maintain this excellent record. In England, there are already eight regional development organisations working in partnership with my Department's own Invest in Britain Bureau to attract inward investment.
I consider it important for an RDO to be established in the east of England because the region has some unique strengths that could help it to win business in a very competitive environment. I have been impressed, too, by the strength of the public and private sector partnership that has got the East of England Investment Agency under way so quickly.
I am therefore announcing today a £505,000 grant, which will help the East of England Investment Agency to be launched formally in 1997-98 and hit the ground running. It is proof of our continuing commitment to the encouragement of inward investment.
The many global companies already operating in the east of England are a clear endorsement of the advantages of doing business here and I have no doubt that the East of England Investment Agency will play a key role in maximising those benefits for the regional economy.
Sir David Mitchell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the current upper age limit for St. Helenians coming to work in the United Kingdom under the training and work experience scheme. [17477]
Mrs. Gillan:
No upper age limit is applied to St. Helenians wishing to undertake training or work experience in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Alan Howarth:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list the contracts awarded by her Department to (a) EDS, (b) Andersens, (c) BMI, (d) Capita and (e) Sema since 1992, and the broad function to be carried out by the contractor and the value of the contract in each case. [17599]
Mr. Robin Squire:
The list of contracts awarded by the Department for Education and Employment and the Employment Service is as follows:
The Insolvency Service awarded a contract by competitive tender to Capita Managed Services Limited in November 1995 for the collection of costs awarded by the courts against directors who are disqualified under section 6 of Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986. Capita's fees are based on a percentage of what they collect: it is thus not possible to say what fees will be earned by them in the three year period the contract runs.
No contracts have been awarded by The Insolvency Service to EDS, Andersens, BMI and Sema since 1992.
The Agency employed Capita Recruitment last year to recruit a member of staff. We paid them at their normal commercial rate.
Letter from Jim Norton to Mr. Alan Howarth, dated 28 February 1997:
Mr John Taylor, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Corporate Affairs, has asked me to reply on behalf of the Radiocommunications Agency to your Question about Agency contracts with certain firms.
Since 1992 the Agency has contracted with:
EDS Defence Ltd.,--investigation into increasing the usage and improving the quality of service available on shared channel private mobile radio services in the UK--£69,525;
EDS Defence Ltd.,--study into PMR channel usage--£62,000; and
Sema Group Systems Ltd.,--development and documentation of project management standards--£15,150.
The Agency has also bought some IT equipment from GCAT (Govnerment IT/IS Catalogue) which Electronic Data Systems Ltd., (and ICL) operate on behalf of CCTA.
You recently asked the President of the Board of Trade about contracts awarded since 1992 to EDS, Andersens, BMI, Capita and Sema. I am replying in respect of Companies House Executive Agency.
Companies House has awarded one contract which meets these criteria. On 1 July 1996 Capita Managed Services Ltd., was awarded a contract to operate a telephone enquiry service and a service involving the acceptance and fulfilment of orders for company searches for delivering by post or fax. The contract is for a 3 year period, and an approximate annual value of £800,000.
(8) Per annum.
28 Feb 1997 : Column: 414
Nursery Schools
Dr. Hampson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what percentage of (a) four-year-olds and (b) rising fives attended (i) local education authority nursery schools and (ii) pre-primary classes in each metropolitan district in the most recent period for which figures are available. [17900]
Mr. Robin Squire: The Department does not publish information on percentages or participation rates of four-year-olds or rising fives by local education authority area. Participation rates of children under five in maintained nursery schools and nursery classes in primary schools by local education authority area in England in January 1996 will be published in a statistical bulletin on 28 February and a copy will be placed in the Library.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |