Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many companies responded to his Department's invitation to tender for the protection of tenancy deposit scheme; and how many of those companies were small or medium-sized businesses.

The initial procurement exercise in 2006 inviting bids to run a custodial tenancy deposit scheme and up to three insurance tenancy deposit schemes received four bids. Two of the companies were small or medium sized businesses.

In 2015, the re-procurement exercise for a new custodial tenancy scheme also received four bids. Three of the companies were small or medium sized businesses.