7.55 Before any major use of PFI in new areas like those outlined above, the Government is committed to ensuring:
• that the involvement of PFI in delivering investment is appropriate on the basis of the Government's principles of efficiency, equity and accountability;
• a rigorous assessment of the applicability and value for money offered by PFI in the sector, including an assessment of its impact on employees, in accordance with the reformed decision-making process outlined in paragraphs [7.x to 7.y] above; and
• a pilot stage, which could present demonstrable evidence that PFI in this area is potentially capable of delivering its benefits in practice.
7.56 In preparation for the Spending Review, HM Treasury in consultation with Departments will be collecting evidence of PFI's applicability in the sectors outlined above, and considering next steps as part of the Spending Review process. This preliminary assessment will involve:
• consultation with frontline public servants on what benefits and difficulties could be involved with the use of PFI to procure new investment in a sector;
• examining NAO, Audit Commission and other bodies' evidence on procurement in these sectors; and
• conducting research along with and through Partnerships UK on both the appropriateness of the sector and, in areas where it is likely they will add value, the potential to put in place procurement vehicles to deliver investment.
7.57 If this preliminary value for money assessment suggests that PFI indeed offers significant benefits as a procurement route for capital investment in these sectors, then a pilot programme will be put in place to collect and assess the delivery of that potential in practice.