HC Deb 19 December 1988 vol 144 c44W
Mr. O'Brien

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has made any assessment of the extra costs and the effects on flexibility of the abolition of the free allowances in the tendering by local authority public works departments for small jobs; if he has made any estimate of the circumstances in which the additional overheads in obtaining tenders for small jobs will exceed the value of the work; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

It is our firm belief that the benefits to be derived from opening up all buildings and maintenance work to free competition, whilst preserving the ability for authorities to continue to carry out work through their own staff where that can be shown to be cost-effective, will substantially outweigh any transitional costs that might be involved.

Mr. O'Brien

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has issued guidance on what constitutes an emergency for the purposes of local authority public works departments carrying out works without going out to tender; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

Regulations made under the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 state'emergency work' means work of any description whose necessity could not reasonably have been foreseen by a local authority or development body and which is required to avert, alleviate or eradicate in their area, or any part, if the effects or potential effects of any emergency or disaster involving or likely to involve risk of serious damage to or destruction of property or risk of injury or danger to health or life". My right hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government, announced in reply to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Lancashire, West (Mr. Hind) on 7 December at column 200 that we were currently examining the scope for restricting the kinds of emergency work which can be carried out by direct labour organisations without open competition. We have no intention of restricting the ability of authorities to respond to genuine emergencies.