HL Deb 02 March 1993 vol 543 cc601-3

.—(1) The Secretary of State shall in respect of each financial year in which sections 4 and 5 above have effect satisfy himself that the resources available to housing authorities are adequate to enable each authority to fulfil the requirements of those sections.

(2) Where he is satisfied in accordance with the requirements of subsection (1) above the Secretary of State shall so notify each House of Parliament setting out his reasons.").

The noble Lord said: My Lords, I realise that in speaking to Amendment No. 14 I somewhat rubbished my own amendment. Nevertheless the argument is still worth putting forward. In speaking to the earlier amendment I recognised that the financial problems of local authorities dealing with the needs of asylum seekers and their families are wider than the housing issue. Despite what I said about the Long Title of the Bill, perhaps we are being a little too respectful of the Government's intentions in Clauses 4 and 5. We have drafted the amendment to relate to Clauses 4 and 5 and therefore to be restricted to housing expenditure.

Although the amendment avoids the trap of a specific grant and requires the Secretary of State to satisfy himself that adequate resources are available for dealing with housing needs, I thought that I had made out a reasonable case in support of the noble Baroness for saying that a specific grant is an appropriate procedure for that purpose because of the unpredictability which she emphasised in her closing speech.

Although the need is unpredictable in specific cases, the formula on which such a need can be predicted and costed is still available. It ought to be within the SSA. The advantage of putting it in the SSA, and my reason for moving the amendment despite its known disadvantages, is that the grant would be available as part of the formula and therefore could be included in the budget of the local authority which can show that it has a need for the coming year. The amendment in the name of the noble Baroness, for all its virtues, provides only for post hoc payment of a specific grant after the expenditure has been incurred, and the budget has presumably been exceeded. There are difficulties relating to that in current local government financial legislation which I am sure that the noble Baroness with her special knowledge will recognise. My amendment has the advantage of providing that it is the duty of the Secretary of State, dealing no doubt through the revenue support grant and the standard spending assessment, to make sure that the needs are covered.

The noble Baroness said that she will consider how to bring the matter back at Third Reading. I welcome that. We shall give any help we can to grant her a more favourable time. I do not give away secrets; the Government Whips know that perfectly well. I hope that in the noble Baroness's reconsideration on the wording and scope of the amendment she will consider the needs of local authorities to prepare their budgets in advance. If she will take that matter on board and include it in any amendment which she puts forward, it would improve the case that she puts. In support of Amendment No. 14, moved by the noble Baroness, Lady Gardner of Parkes, I beg to move the amendment.

Lord Strathclyde

My Lords, the noble Lord lost me in his exposition. I assume that we are still speaking to Amendment No. 16. The amendment invites the Secretary of State to satisfy himself that the resources made available to housing authorities for the provision of temporary accommodation are indeed adequate. It requires that he should set out his reasons for doing so. That is exactly what happens at present. The Secretary of State determines the annual local government finance settlement under the terms of the Local Government Finance Act 1988. He has to consult with representatives of local authorities and subsequently has to justify his conclusions when seeking Parliament's approval of his proposals by resolution in another place. I am therefore happy to say that the legislation already provides what the noble Lord seeks in his amendment. I hope that on that basis he will withdraw the amendment.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

My Lords, that sounds a suspiciously simple argument. I shall read it with care in Hansard. I shall consider the Minister's words carefully before determining whether the argument is indeed as simple as he claims. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

Viscount Goschen

My Lords, I beg to move that further consideration on Report be now adjourned. In moving the Motion perhaps I may suggest that the Report stage be resumed at 8.30 p.m.

Moved accordingly, and, on Question, Motion agreed to.