§ 20. Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of responses to the consultation 16 documents on the privatisation of local authority leisure and sport services was in favour of privatisation and what percentage was against.
§ Mr. GristMy right hon. Friend issued a consultation document last September proposing that the management of local authority sport and leisure facilities should be subject to competitive tendering. The responses are being considered and it is hoped to make an announcement soon.
§ Mr. FlynnIs the Minister aware of the magnificent record of Newport and Gwent councils in providing generous leisure services and the fact that they have been especially successful in providing leisure services to disadvantaged groups, including disabled and unemployed people? Is he also aware of the widespread dismay that those universally popular centres are likely to be handed over to people whose motive is not to give the community the leisure services that it desires, but to make money?
§ Mr. GristI think that the hon. Gentleman is slightly confused. These centres will not be handed over. The intention is that the running of some of them should be put out to tender. The hon. Gentleman should await the final decisions in this matter before he speaks of the disadvantaged groups losing out.
§ Mr. Alex CarlileDoes the Minister agree that it would be nonsensical even to consider privatising sports centres that are situated on school premises? Does he recognise that in Powys there has been enormous success with local authority-run joint-use facilities, the result of which has been a trebling in the use of those facilities as compared with other areas in which there is no joint use with the local community?
§ Mr. GristWe are giving deep consideration to that matter at the moment. 1 accept the hon. Gentleman's point.