§ 9. Mr. Costainasked the Minister of Public Building and Works what further action he will take to ensure that the recommendations of the Economic Development Committee of the building industry about selective tendering are carried out.
§ Mr. MellishSelective tendering is already normal practice for Government construction work. Action already taken has reduced the proportion of local authority work let by open tender. My Department's experience of selective tendering is now available to local authorities throughout the country.
§ Mr. CostainDoes the Minister appreciate the importance to the small provincial builder of this type of tendering? Will the right hon. Gentleman make information available to all local authorities so that they understand the benefits of this?
§ Mr. MellishThe hon. Gentleman is right. All local authorities should adopt selective tendering. The proportion of local authority housing schemes let by open tender has fallen and is continuing to fall. It was 50 per cent. in 1964 in the bad old days when the Tories were in power. Today it is 20 per cent.