To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to withhold approval from the NHS Business Services Authority for the outsourcing of its IT and dental services contract until a full appraisal of the in-house option is conducted. (305359)

On 27 November 2009, Ministers approved the business case for the award of the contract for the supply of dental contract support services and IT infrastructure to the NHS Business Services Authority (“the Authority”) to Capita Group Plc. The Authority expects to sign the contract on 14 December 2009 subject to final approval by the board of the Authority on 10 December 2009.

In preparing its business case, the Authority examined its existing in-house capability and considered it was not capable of delivering the full set of business requirements set out in that case. In the circumstances, a further appraisal of the in-house option would not be appropriate.