MPs blast jails’ purchasing failure
28 August 2012
MPs have slammed the Prison Service for poor procurement after finding evidence of rocketing levels of spending and low take-up of national contracts.
The probe by the influential Public Accounts Committee into prison purchasing highlights a continuing failure by the Prison Service to get to grips with its almost £1 billion-a-year purchasing budget.
Although there are 1,170 full-time procurement staff in the service - equivalent to 10 per prison - the report uncovered major inefficiencies.
Spending on...