Download or read book The Procurement of Goods and Services by HM Prison Service written by and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2009 with total page 32 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this report the Committee of Public Accounts revisits the Prison Service's procurement system five years after publishing a critical report on it (41st report, session 2002-03, HC 676, ISBN 9780215012647). The Committee notes that the Service has responded positively and decisively. It has implemented a new strategy and introduced a centralised profession al procurement team, supported by five regional procurement teams and a new information technology system. As a direct result of implementing the Committee's recommendations the Service has generated cash savings of £120 million to 2007-08. Whenever problems have been encountered, the Service has addressed them promptly, including difficulties in phasing in its new computer system. Compliance with laid down procedures is being tightened, to ensure that all areas of the Service utilise the procurement system as effectively and efficiently as possible. The Ministry of Justice announced in October 2008 that it is to centralise procurement across the Ministry into a single function, which would include the Prison Service. With a potential budget of £2.5 billion, the new procurement function offers the opportunity to secure substantial savings.