asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to require greater openness in the provision of design and other consultancy services in local government; and if he will make a statement.

Our planned legislation on competitive tendering for local authority services will include a power to add activities, via secondary legislation, to those which will appear on the face of the Bill. This will enable us to consider, in the light of experience with the initial list, whether others—such as those referred to by my hon. Friend—should also be opened up to competition. But there is no need to wait for legislation: authorities should be reaping the benefits of competition now, by voluntary action.