Public Audit Committee

Meeting date: Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Official Report 480KB pdf

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Section 23 Report (Response)

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“Improving public sector efficiency”

Under item 4, we have a response from the accountable officer to our investigation into improving public sector efficiency. Are there any comments?

I do not know how much further we can pursue the response about how particular suppliers get on to the approved list, as Ms Manzie has given us a reasonable explanation. However, I am always interested in whether qualitative assessments are carried out on potential suppliers or whether the companies that get on the list tend to be bigger and able to offer economies of scale.

I am always keen to find out whether smaller companies, businesses and operations can find their way into procurement frameworks—not just in this issue but across the board. It is not clear to me that that is the case, and I sometimes worry that we have systems in place that favour larger companies and enterprises that can make economies of scale. Perhaps that is the ultimate point—to drive down costs—but there has to be a way in which smaller businesses can participate in the procurement process.

Okay. Other than that comment, shall we just note the response?

I have a separate point about national procurement from the earlier evidence—although we are perhaps coming on to that.

Yes, we will deal with that when we come to consideration of that evidence.

Okay.

With that, we move into private session.

12:46 Meeting continued in private until 13:01.