§ Mr. Robert Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide a timetable for the implementation of competitive tendering procedures for individual local government services in the phasing programme.
§ Mr. HowardThe Department is issuing a consultation paper today which sets out proposals for implementation of part I of the Local Government Bill in England. I am sending my hon. Friend and members of Standing Committee A copies of the paper, and I have also placed a copy in the Library.
The paper proposes a phased introduction of competition by local authorities, with authorities split into groups and each group taking the activities covered by the Bill in a different order. Each group will have to expose activities to competition at six-monthly intervals, starting by 1 April 1989. All authorities will have to expose at least 10 per cent. of their ground maintenance work to competition by that date, and that percentage figure will be increased to 100 per cent. over a five-year period.
The paper also proposes a de minimis exemption so that authorities would not have to expose any activity to competition if they spend less than £100,000 per annum on carrying it out.
Comments on the proposals are to be sent to the Department by 31 January 1988.