asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what arrangements there are in his Department to ensure that the Government's policy towards small firms is furthered through the procurement policy of his Department so that small businesses receive a proportion of all purchasing contracts issued by his Department; and what proportion he expects this will be in 1982–83.

Suppliers for the Chancellor's departments are selected on merit, not company size. However, departments will apply the new procedures designed to help small firms' access to Government contracts which were announced on 26 November by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Industry. It is not practicable to keep records of the size of firms to which contracts are awarded and it is not possible to estimate the proportion of contracts likely to be won by small firms in 1982–83. But I hope that the new measures will increase the proportion of Government business which small firms win.