To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps his Department has taken to promote the uptake of collaborative procurement strategies within local authorities, as recommended in HM Treasury's May 2009 review, Operational Efficiency Programme: collaborative procurement. (279716)

Surveys commissioned by the Department have shown that over three-quarters of councils already use purchasing consortia. To promote further action in this area, Bill Roots's Review of arrangements for efficiencies from smarter procurement in local government, published in February, recommended that Regional Improvement and Efficiency Partnerships (RIEPs) should act as the conduit for best deals, with local authorities deciding which deals to buy into. This would require effective communication between RIEPs and local authorities about the opportunities and benefits from engaging in collaborative procurement. The LGA and RIEPs are deciding how to implement these recommendations, which support delivery of those in the Operational Efficiency Programme (OEP).

In respect of fire and rescue authorities, Spikes Cavell have been commissioned to undertake work on spend management. The revised Fire and Rescue Service National Procurement Strategy, due to be published in July, will reflect the recommendations from the OEP.