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Mrs. Renée
Short asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will invite the chairmen of regional health authorities to discuss with him the effects of enforced competitive tendering for National Health Service contracts on the manpower and wage levels of ancillary workers, caterers, cleaning and laundry staff.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke
We discuss competitive tendering at regular meetings with chairmen of regional health authorities. I see no purpose in raising the particular point to which the hon. Member refers.
| Local Authorities (West Midlands Region) | |||||||
| Percentage of children in care who were boarded out in foster homes at 31 March | |||||||
| 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1979–84 | |
| Hereford & Worcester | 42·9 | 41·3 | 39·2 | 41·5 | 45·1 | 47·5 | 42·8 |
| Shropshire | 45·3 | 44·6 | 44·8 | 46·7 | 48·4 | 54·6 | 47·3 |
| Staffordshire | 33·4 | 34·8 | 37·9 | 41·5 | 45·8 | 48·1 | 39·9 |
| Warwickshire | 62·3 | 63·5 | 67·2 | 68·2 | 85·6 | 74·9 | 70·2 |
| Birmingham | 21·0 | 23·0 | 27·1 | 31·7 | 35·3 | 37·8 | 28·5 |
| Coventry | 40·9 | 44·2 | 47·8 | 54·8 | 54·5 | 60·0 | 50·0 |
| Dudley | 42·4 | 45·0 | 54·2 | 56·2 | 59·7 | 58·7 | 52·3 |
| Sandwell | 28·2 | 29·9 | 34·3 | 43·9 | 30·4 | 33·2 | 33·5 |
| Solihull | 33·0 | 43·3 | 40·0 | 35·1 | 41·3 | 46·5 | 39·0 |
| Walsall | 33·2 | 35·4 | 36·3 | 38·9 | 44·4 | 48·0 | 38·9 |
| Wolverhampton | 32·3 | 35·0 | 35·4 | 40·2 | 41·6 | 48·4 | 38·5 |