To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the ASTRA clause will be included in any contracts put out to tender for the police central support department. [14697]

The Home Office has no plans to use the particular clause referred to, but Home Office policy, when putting services out to competitive tender, is to include a clause in the contract which covers the provisions of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 (known as TUPE), as amended by the Trade Union Reform and Employment Rights Act 1993.