Compulsory Competitive Tendering (Hansard, 24 July 1997)

§ Mr. Win Griffiths

Welsh Office officials will be writing tomorrow to local authorities and other interested parties with our proposals to modify the current CCT regulations and guidance. This follows a short review carried out by the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions and the Welsh Office in consultation with the Local Government Association.

The Government are committed to ensuring the delivery of cost-effective quality services in local government. To this end, the proposals are designed to make the CCT statutory framework more consistent with the principles of best value. They are also intended to provide an incentive for authorities to take the voluntary route to competitive tendering and significantly reduce many of the prescriptive elements of CCT.

Full details of these proposals are contained in a consultation paper which will be placed in the Library of the House as soon as possible. We will also be consulting on revised guidance on good tendering practice which will promote fairness and transparency in procurement decisions. A draft will also be placed in the Library of the House.

The Welsh Office and local government in Wales are committed to developing the duty of best value. To take this initiative forward, we have agreed that a project group will be established to develop this important policy. The group will be co-chaired by the Welsh Office and the Welsh Local Government Association and will include representatives from the Audit Commission, Wales TUC and Wales CBI.

In developing this policy in Wales, the project group will build upon the work already undertaken by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions and Scottish Office and apply it to the circumstances of Wales. Its first report should be available by mid-August.

I will make a further announcement once I have considered this report.