§ Mr. David ShawTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, following the announcement of the timetable for district and county councils to implement competitive tendering procedures, he will make a statement as to when the other bodies covered by part I of the Local Government Act have to implement competition for their services.
§ Mr. ChopeIn the light of consultation, my right hon. Friend has now considered how competition can be implemented most effectively for these remaining authorities. His decisions reflect their level of activity in the services involved, the application of the .100,000 de minimis threshold and the fact that parish and community councils have had less time than other councils to prepare for competition. He has decided that where they are not exempt under the de minimis threshold, the authorities and bodies listed in the table will be required to expose all their defined activities except ground maintenance to competition by 1 August 1989, and ground maintenance by 1 January 1990:
- Metropolitan county fire and civil defence authorities
- London Fire and Civil Defence Authorities
- Metropolitan county passenger transport authorities
- Waste disposal authorities set up by or under the Local Government Act 1985
- Joint police authorities
- Any joint committee of local authorities
- Urban development corporations
- The Council of the Isles of Scilly
The Inner London Education Authority is excluded from the list in view of its short remaining life, assuming that the relevant provisions in the Education Reform Bill are enacted. A separate announcement will be made in relation of new town bodies.
563WRepresentatives of parish and community councils are being consulted on the proposition that competition should apply to them from 1 January 1990 for ground maintenance and 1 August 1990 for all other activities. Responses have been requested by 31 May.