§ 20. Mr. Clifton-BrownTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the services which councils may put out to tender.
§ Mr. CurryLocal authorities can voluntarily put out to tender any services they think it appropriate. An increasing number of councils recognise the benefits of competition and, in addition to the services already subject to compulsory competitive tendering, have their own voluntary tendering programmes.
§ 37. Mr. CongdonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made in his plans to extend CCT to a council's professional services.
§ Mr. CurryWe are continuing to consult the local authority associations and professional institutions on all250W aspects of the Government's proposals for extending CCT to local authority professional services, and have made considerable progress. Secondary legislation for legal and construction-related services, the first services to be introduced in the phased programme, will be circulated in draft for consultation in December and laid before Parliament thereafter. Legislation for the other services will follow.