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<p>As set out in my answer to PQ 194146, the Government is committed to a diverse
market of prison operators and competition for custodial services remains an important
way of achieving that and driving quality of operations and innovation across the
system. Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) will not be bidding in
the competition to operate the new prisons at Wellingborough and Glen Parva but will
instead provide a ‘public sector benchmark’, against which potential operators’ bids
can be assessed. It is right that the prison service focuses on getting the basics
right in prisons, however where bids do not meet sufficient quality or value for money
thresholds it will act as the provider.</p><p> </p><p>For the competition for the
operation of Wellingborough this work has already been undertaken and informed the
specification and affordability threshold for this competition. The affordability
threshold is based on the specification that has been set for the competition and
an understanding of how the public sector would deliver this specification.</p><p>
</p><p>Creation of the affordability threshold and specification was undertaken by
the Prison Estate Transformation Programme in conjunction with colleagues across HMPPS,
finance, commercial and analytical services and involved staff from a range of grades.</p><p>
</p><p>The affordability threshold for the competition for Wellingborough is £299m
Net Present Cost in 2019/20 prices. Both the threshold and the specification were
published on the Ministry of Justice’s eSourcing portal as part of the competition
documentation on 6 December 2018. The specification and affordability threshold for
the competition for the operation of Glen Parva will be developed throughout next
year.</p>
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