National Health Service Buildings (Cleaning)

Mr. Anthony Grant
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the current annual cost of domestic cleaning and ancillary services in National Health Service buildings; and what percentage of this is carried out by private contractors.

Mr. Moyle
Expenditure by National Health Service authorities in England on domestic cleaning and portering services for the year ended 31st March 1977, the latest for which accounts have been rendered by the authorities, totalled  £304,533,102. As the accounts submitted to the Department do not separately identify payments to private contractors I regret that I am unable to provide the percentage requested.