§ Lord Brougham and Vauxasked Her Majesty's Government:
When they will publish their proposals for extending the requirement for compulsory competitive tendering for local authority services.
§ The Minister of State, Department of the Environment (Baroness Blatch)We are today publishingCompeting for Quality—Competition in the Provision of Local Services, in order to start the process of consulting widely on the Government's proposals for clarifying and extending the requirement for compulsory competitive tendering for local authority services. The Citizen's Charter underlines our belief that the widest possible application of competition will bring benefits to the local taxpayer and the consumer. The consultation paper, therefore, seeks to tighten up on anti-competitive behaviour so that private firms have a fair chance to compete for local authority contracts, and explains how we propose to extend compulsory competitive tendering to a wide range of professional and technical activities. Copies are being placed in the Library.