Layfield Report (Hansard, 5 May 1976)

§ 4. Mr. Durant
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to publish the Layfield Report on Local Government Finance.

§ 21. Mr. Peter Bottomley
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is causing delay in the publication of the Layfield Report on Local Government Finance.

§ The Minister for Planning aad Local Government (Mr. John Silkin)
The size and complexity of the Layfield Report, which runs to 733 pages of typescript, has meant that publication was bound to take some time. However, I hope that, subject to any possible printing delays. the report will be published by the end of this month.

§ Mr. Durant
Does the Minister agree that there has been an appalling delay in publishing this very important document? We have been waiting for it for a long time. Is there something in it that needs to be hidden? Are the Government nervous of publishing it before the local elections? When the document is published, will the Minister see that there is the widest possible consultation':

§ Mr. Silkin
I shall take the most serious part of the question first. Yes, there will be the widest possible consultation. The lion. Member is not being fair to the chairman and members of the panel, including people from his own party as well as mine, and trade unionists, who did an enormous amount of work and put tremendous efforts into this document. From a fairly narrow electoral advantage point of view, I would rather the document had been published already.

§ Mr. Heffer
Whatever the Layfield Report recommends, it is high time there was a reform of housing finance. It is absolutely stupid that local authorities of the size of Liverpool and Birmingham, for example, should have to pay more than, or as much as, they paid previously in interest charges in order to borrow money now to build houses. This is an absurd situation, and I hope that the Minister will look into it.

§ Mr. Speaker
In view of the long supplementary questions I propose to call fewer for the rest of Question Time.

§ Mr. Silkin
I do not know whether this arises directly out of the report, but my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is continuing the housing finance review. He and I and the Under-Secretary responsible for housing are all very concerned about the points that my hon. Friend the Member for Liverpool, Walton (Mr. Heffer) has made, and these matters will have to be considered.

§ Mr. Graham Page
Has the Minister any programme in mind for implementing the report—I imagine he will wish to consult local authorities—and bringing it before the House? How long will it be before we see the results in any legislation, if this is needed?

§ Mr. Silkin
The short answer is "As speedily as possible" The right hon. Member for Crosby (Mr. Page) occupied my position with distinction, and he is aware that, if there are to be meaningful consultations, the thing has to be done properly, and as much time as possible has to be allowed. When we publish the report which I hope will be by the end of the month, I shall acquaint the House with the arrangements that will follow the consultation period.