asked the Minister for Local Government to what extent his approval is required to increases in the contract price of goods purchased by his Department; what information is obtained by him in determining whether to agree to the prices sought by suppliers; and if he will state why his Department agreed to the increase from 66p to 98p per 40 cu. ft. of medical oxygen in the years ending July 30th, 1971 and 1972 respectively.
Written Answers. - Contract Price of Goods.
328.
The commodity referred to by the Deputy is not purchased by my Department, but it is purchased by health boards in pursuance of arrangements made by my Department under the Local Authorities (Combined Purchasing) Act, 1939. Under these arrangements, the price of this particular item to health boards was determined, for each of the years in question on the basis of competitive tendering after public advertisement, and there has been no claim for a price adjustment in either year.