§ Mr. BatesTo ask the Secretary of State for Education what action he proposes to take with regard to the proposal in the consultation paper "Competing for Quality: Competition in the Provision of Local Services" to introduce compulsory competitive tendering for transport centrally organised by local education authorities for journeys between home and school or college.
§ Mr. ForthMy right hon. Friend, and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales, remain committed to imposing a rigorous competitive regime on local authorities' provision of vehicles for home to school and home to college transport. In the light of responses to "Competing for Quality", they have concluded that this can best be achieved by imposing on all authorities, not just those running their own transport fleets, a competitive tendering regime compatible with that already required by the Transport Act 1985 in respect of public transport subsidised by local authorities. This will enable authorities to continue to make co-ordinated, cost-effective arrangements for all transport provided from or assisted by public funds, as required by the 1985 Act. It will also mean that local transport operators will work under a single tendering regime.
The 1985 Act regime needs to be amended to provide for competition between private contractors and authorities' own work forces in accordance with the principles of the compulsory competitive tendering regime laid down in the Local Government Act 1988. This will require primary legislation, which will be brought forward at the earliest opportunity.