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Ministry aims to buy locally_3


The Ministry of Defence has announced that food for the armed forces will be sourced in the UK wherever possible. The MoD’s food contractor buys 1,000 of the forces’ 1,300 food items from UK companies. Stocks of beef are so low in the UK that some must be sourced abroad, but the MoD and farming representatives are working to maximise the amount from the UK.
Agency joins commerce office_3


The Buying Agency is to be the first of three executive agencies to join the Office of Government Commerce (OGC), the organisation being set up next month to oversee central government procurement.
Lorries not energy efficient_3


UK haulage firms need to be more energy efficient, a survey by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions has revealed. Only half of lorry capacity is being used and energy savings could be made by cutting the amount of time refrigerated trailers spent loaded and stationary, it said. The study measured 46 road logistics firms against five key performance indicators.
Reta price cut ‘conservative’_3


The 10 per cent cut in prices expected to follow implementation of the Reform of Electricity Trading Arrangements (Reta) is “conservative”, Anna Walker, director-general for energy at the Department of Trade and Industry, told a recent Energy Information Centre (EIC) conference in London.
Scots follow ‘cluster’ model_3


Scotland’s new parliament will show its hand on industrial strategy on 14 June with the launch of an action plan to develop “clusters” of companies in key sectors. A semiconductor plan will be followed by strategies for food, biotechnology and, possibly, oil and gas.
Gas suppliers see red on Y2k_3


Gas shippers and suppliers are among five sectors most at risk from a failure to deal with the millennium bug problem. Sir John Bourn, head of the government’s millennium task force, gave the suppliers a “red rating”, which indicates a severe risk of material disruption.
PFI hospital savings elusive_3


The first major hospital developed under the private finance initiative (PFI) has probably worked out to be more expensive than if public money had been used, the National Audit Office (NAO) has reported.
DSS saves with property deal_3


The Department of Social Security’s (DSS) 20-year private finance initiative (PFI) deal with the private sector to provide much of their office accommodation is likely to deliver savings of £560 million, according to a report by the National Audit Office.
SMEs fail on Competition Act_3


A government survey of small to medium-sized businesses (SMEs) has found that 77 per cent of their managers are unaware of the new Competition Act, while 21 per cent know very little about it.
Successful Project Management_3
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