To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what criteria his Department uses in determining the award of contracts; and how much his Department and its predecessors have spent on the advertisement of tenders for Government contracts since 1997. (303095)

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills uses the “most economically advantageous tender” criteria in determining the award of contracts.

The Department does not record spend on the advertisement of tenders centrally, and such details could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.