§ Mrs. GormanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the guidelines issued to local authorities regarding their direct labour organisations tendering for local authority work for a different local council.
§ Mr. KeyThere are no such guidelines. However, while the interpretation of the law is a matter for the courts, Ministers have made it clear that they agree with the counsel's opinion obtained by the Audit Commission, to the effect that neither the Local Authorities (Goods and Services) Act 1970 nor the Local Government Act 1988 provides a general warrant for DSOs to undertake work for other authorities on a free-for-all basis.