§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister what guidelines his Department gives to local authorities on sustainable procurement. [153806]
§ Mr. RaynsfordThe National Procurement Strategy for Local Government, jointly published by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Local Government Association (LGA) in October 2003, encourages councils to achieve better value for money through effective and innovative procurement over the next three years. Among other things, it encourages councils to build sustainability into procurement strategies, processes and contracts. The Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) has published guidance on sustainability and local government procurement, aimed specifically at councils' needs in this area.