§ 14. Mr. Arnoldasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has discussed the Layfield Report with the Consultative Council on Local Government Finance; and, if so, what broad conclusions were reached.
§ Mr. ShoreNot yet. The council will be having a discussion on the report at its next meeting in early July.
§ Mr. ArnoldI recognise that the Secretary of State believes that a full and considered response to Layfield depends on the many submissions that he has asked people to make to him. However, will he say whether the Government are now in a position to give their views on certain matters within Layfield ahead of the consultation period, because it is essential that these matters should move ahead with all possible speed?
§ Mr. ShoreNo, we are not ready to do that. There are certain matters in Layfield of a very specific nature on which more progress could be made in advance of coming to a conclusion on the big central question that Layfield poses.
§ Mr. Evelyn KingDoes the right hon. Gentleman share the view expressed by the Home Secretary to the effect that in any democratic system expenditure by Government agencies should not exceed 60 per cent. of public expenditure? If 1589 he does, does he not also agree that this implies a permanent limitation on local authority expenditure? Will he bear that in mind in any discussions he has on local government finance?
§ Mr. ShoreI do not subscribe to the doctrine of a particular percentage of public expenditure posing a threat to democracy.
§ Mr. ShoreThat may be my right hon. Friend's view, and he is entitled to express it. I am equally entitled to express a different view. The Government view is that we should stick within the targets that we have agreed in the latest public expenditure White Paper.