§ Mr. LeighTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to publish the annual report for 1995 on compulsory competitive tendering in local authorities in England. [22716]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordMy Department has published today the compulsory competitive tendering annual report for 1995. The report charts the progress made during 1995 in establishing the new framework for competition for local authority white collar professional services. It also takes a wider look at what local authorities have achieved through voluntary competition and partnership with the private sector, and at what research tells us about the impact of competition and on costs and service standards.
Last year saw local authorities in London boroughs and metropolitan authorities preparing to let contracts for construction and property related services and legal services. Last year also saw information technology, finance and personnel services, as well as the cleaning of police buildings, being added to the list of defined activities subject to CCT and many authorities will be preparing to let contracts for these activities during the coming year.
During 1995, my Department investigated 66 cases of alleged anti-competitive behaviour. Frequently, a satisfactory resolution of complaints was achieved without statutory action, but in seven cases directions were given to authorities. Most of the directions required authorities to re-tender work early and to seek the Secretary of State's consent if they wished to reassign work to the direct services organisation, DSO. My right hon. Friend also gave 49 directions to authorities where activities had failed to meet the specified financial objective; some of these prevented the local authority from carrying out the work in-house.
Copies of the report will be sent to all local authorities in England, and to the main trade associations and others involved with CCT. Copies have also been placed in the House Library.