§ Mr. HigginsTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has on sports facilities provided by local authorities at community charge payers' expense which are not being used because contracts for their operation have not been put out to tender.
§ Mr. AtkinsI am unaware of any cases where local authority sports facilities are not being used because contracts for their management have not been put out to tender. SI 1990 No. 1564 specifies that competition in the management of sports and leisure facilities should be phased in by steps from 1 January 1992 to 1 January 1993.
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§ Mr. HigginsTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether it is his policy that contracts for the operation and maintenance of sports facilities provided by local authorities must be put out to tender if there is no possibility that the revenue from them will cover costs.
§ Mr. AtkinsThe Government are introducing compulsory competitive tendering in the management of local authority sports facilities because they believe it will result in better value for money from local authority expenditure.