§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will take steps to ensure that when public construction works go out to tender in Wales, in those areas where his Department has responsibility, there will be an attempt to ensure that all local authorities capable of undertaking this work are considered before contractors from outside the area are brought into consideration.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsThe only significant area in which my Department has responsibility for the tendering arrangements for public construction works is trunk road construction. Local authorities undertake most trunk road schemes of under £100,000. In schemes over that figure,426W local authorities with adequate experience and expertise may be invited to tender in competition with private firms who may come from inside or outside Wales.