7.49 The Government is committed to securing value for money for all of its investment programmes. The appraisal and decision-making process outlined in this chapter supports that commitment by putting in place an assessment process focused on the real merits of different procurement options, building in the ability to select alternative routes at each stage. As part of this process, the Government intends to consider potential new areas for piloting PFI investment whose characteristics suggest that they could benefit in value for money terms, and so allow that investment to go further toward improving public services.
7.50 This section examines the characteristics of sectors which could benefit from PFI investment, and outlines the process of investigation and consultation, value for money testing and piloting the Government will pursue in these areas as part of the process of continual assessment of the scope of the PFI programme laid out above, specifically providing a basis for assessing an investment programme test in these areas in the context of the next Spending Review.