Press Releases

E-Guidance : 50 Private Finance Initiative key texts on CD-ROM

An up to the minute CD-ROM containing this Government's guidance on public private partnerships (PPPs) and the private finance initiative (PFI) is published today.

The CD-ROM contains a compilation of the full range of guidance published by the former Treasury Taskforce and subsidiary sectors of Government.

Welcoming the new CD-ROM, Chief Executive Peter Gershon said:

"The bringing together of best practice guidance across Whitehall now places the essential toolkits for PFI practitioners in one accessible place. This represents a key advancement in assisting the public and private sectors to adopt best practice techniques and to tailor their approaches to different forms of PFI."

The CD-ROM forms the basis of a partnership between the OGC and Digital networks Limited. It was the Treasury Taskforce that issued a CD-ROM "A Digital Guide to PFI" in August 1988. At that time there were around 30 PFI guidance documents included on the disk. The number of documents has now risen to around 50. Apart from a complete set of Taskforce material, there are also major contributions from the National Health Service and Ministry of Defence.

The CD-ROM is available from Digital Networks, PO Box 24402, London W5 4WQ (telephone 020 8567 0178, fax 020 8567 0216). It can be ordered through the internet at: www.dignet.co.uk/order . Existing customers will receive their updated disk automatically.

NOTES TO EDITORS

• The former Treasury Taskforce is currently going through the process of being wound up.
• The Office of Government Commerce, which was established on 1 April 2000 as an Office of HM Treasury, will assume responsibility for the Government's policy on PPPs and PFI, including the production and maintenance of the Treasury guidance contained on this CD-ROM.
• Many of the executive and project functions of the Taskforce are being taken forward by Partnerships UK which has been established by the Treasury following the PFI review undertaken in 1999 by Sir Malcolm Bates.
• During the lifetime of the Taksforce (mid 1997 to mid-2000) a number of generic documents, policy statements, technical notes and case studies were published. The issue of the updated CD-ROM has been timed to give its contents as a long a shelf life as possible.
• The cost of the new CD-ROM is £270 plus VAT for the private sector and £6.50 plus VAT for the public sector. Existing customers will be sent an updated disk automatically. Enquiries on the content of the CD-ROM in the Office of Government Commerce should be directed to Agnes Burke, telephone 020 7211 1349 or alternatively by e.mail to: agnes.burke@ogc.gsi.gov.uk
• Press Enquiries to Lucy Stares on 020 7211 132