§ Mr. DonohoeTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland for what reasons he changed the terms of previous Scottish Office guidance issued to Scottish local authorities relating to the compulsory competitive tendering of council services under the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1986. [30537]
§ Mr. KynochThe early reintroduction of compulsory competitive tendering of services under the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 is designed to ensure value for money for council tax payers. The decision follows complaints that some councils have failed to obtain value for money when existing arrangements expire, notwithstanding a warning issued on 15 November 1995 that the Government would reconsider the length of the CCT moratorium if authorities did not approach the suspension of CCT in a constructive manner.
§ Mr. DonohoeTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the value of services that will be subject to the competitive tendering exercise under the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980; and how many jobs in Scottish councils will be covered by these contractual arrangements. [30595]
§ Mr. KynochPrecise information is not available. However, we estimate that in 1994–95 local authorities were carrying out in-house work valued at about £560 million and employing 20,000 following competitive tendering exercises under the 1980 Act.
The extent to which this work will be subject to a competitive tendering exercise for re-introduction on 1 January will depend on when the present arrangements expire.
591W
§ Mr. DonohoeTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make it his policy to reverse his recent change of guidance to Scottish local authorities, issued on 13 May, relating to the compulsory competitive tendering of services under the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 and to extend the deadline for this exercise to 1 July. [30540]
§ Mr. KynochNo.