§ MR. BOULNOIS (Marylebone, E.)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he proposes to take action with reference to the powers of Metropolitan borough councils to oppose Bills in Parliament, having regard to the fact that Section 6, subsection 6, of the London Government Act, 1899, is practically inoperative in the Metropolis in consequence of the provisions of the Borough Funds Act, 1872, having to be observed.
§ *THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. WATER LONG,) Bristol, S.The sub-section referred to in the question places the councils of metropolitan boroughs in the same position with regard to opposing Bills in Parliament as the councils of boroughs outside London. Some amendment of the Borough Funds Act generally is, I think, desirable. I could not undertake to propose legislation for this purpose at the present time; but my hon. friend the Member for South Islington has now before the House a Bill on the subject, and I should hope that he may be able to make progress with it.