§ Sir Hector MonroTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has to increase the proportion of local authority general road works that is subject to competitive tender.
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§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonFollowing a second survey of road works we have decided, as already proposed, that the threshold above which each individual job of road works is required to be submitted to competition by local authorities under the Local Government, Planning ane Land Act 1980 should be reduced from £50,000 to £25,000. We believe that the additional competition will be beneficial in securing better value for money. I shall be laying the necessary regulations to give effect to this change which is to come into operation from 1 July 1988.