§ Mr. GouldTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether, following the passage of the702W Local Government Act 1988, those sheltered workshops recognised by the Government as priority suppliers will still be afforded opportunities by local authorities to tender or quote for suitable work; and whether having had any submissions to local authority supplies officers suitably examined, such work shops will be offered part or all of a contract at a price acceptable to the supplies officer and subject to the provisos of the local authority preference scheme;
(2) what assessment he has made of the effect of the Local Government Act 1988 on the observation by local authorities of the requirements of the Treasury priority supplies scheme, with regard to sheltered workshops for people with disabilities.
§ Mr. HowardIt is, of course, for individual local authorities to decide from whom to invite tenders, but they have previously been encouraged to give preferential treatment to priority suppliers, including sheltered workshops, on the lines of the Treasury priority suppliers scheme which is binding on Exchequer Departments. The effect of part II of the Local Government Act 1988 is to prevent local authorities giving preferential treatment to priority suppliers other than their own sheltered workshops. I understand, however, that most of the business awarded by local authorities to priority suppliers is placed with their own sheltered workshops and the Act should not therefore have any adverse effect on the business levels of sheltered industry.