HC Deb 14 November 1991 vol 198 cc632-3W
Mr. Blunkett

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will indicate how many regulations he intends to issue after 31 January 1992, with regard to extending compulsory competitive tendering to more local authority services; what individual services such regulations will apply to; and when he intends to issue the regulations.

Mr. Portillo

The number, content and timing of the necessary orders will depend on the outcome of our consideration of responses to the consultation paper "Competing for Quality—Competition in the Provision of Local Services", published on 5 November 1991, and on parliamentary approval of the provisions in the Local Government Bill.

Mr. Blunkett

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many representations and comments he has received, either direct to his Department or through the PA Consulting Group(a) in favour of and(b) against extending compulsory competitive tendering to professional and technical services and if he will publish them.

Mr. Portillo

The publication of "Competing for Quality—Competition in the Provision of Local Services" has launched the process of consultation on our proposals to extend compulsory competitive tendering to professional and other services provided by local authorities. Comments have been invited by 31 January 1992. We shall place copies of non-confidential responses in the Libraries of the House of Commons and of the Department of the Environment.

Mr. Blunkett

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the cost to his Department of awarding the contract to investigate the viability of extending compulsory competitive tendering to local authority professional and technical services, to PA Consulting Group; at what price other companies submitted bids; and if he will publish the evaluation procedure his Department used in awarding the contract and a summary of the specification.

Mr. Portillo

The cost to the Department was £55,000. The consultants were asked to examine the technical feasibility of extending the legislative requirements for competitive tendering to professional services. It is not our policy to comment on bids or evaluation procedure for individual consultancy contracts.