§ Mr. Dickensasked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has yet considered the responses to his Department's consultation document on extending the requirements for competitive tendering for local authority highway works; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MooreWe have now considered the results of the consultation. We have concluded that it is right from I April next year to proceed with the proposal to reduce from £50,000 to £25,000 the threshold above which all general highway works in England and Wales must be put out to tender. Regulations to make this change will be laid early in the new year. We are satisfied that it is practicable to make the change by the due date and that the additional competition generated will be beneficial in securing better value for money.
In the consultation document it was also proposed to increase from 30 per cent. to 60 per cent. the proportion
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§ Mr. Michael SpicerThe information is provided in the table. Cargo throughput figures for BAA plc airports are available to October 1986; and for Luton international airport to September 1986.
by value of works below the new threshold which should have to be put out to tender. We have concluded that it would not be practicable to implement this change as well from April next year. We intend therefore to consider this further in the context of the Government's wider proposals for increasing competition in the provision of local authority services. I shall make a further announcement in due course.