Local Authority Capital Expenditure (Hansard, 18 December 1984)

§ Dr. John Cunningham (Copeland)

I beg to ask leave to move the Adjournment of the House, under Standing Order No. 10, for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that should have urgent consideration, namely, the statement made today on local authority capital expenditure in England and Wales. I gave you, Mr. Speaker, as well as the House and the Secretary of State, as much notice as I could of my intention to raise this matter. The House has just learned of the contents of those statements which were discussed in a mood of considerable anger and dismay.

These are specific matters of crucial importance to every hon. Member and his constituents. I believe that no one would contest that. That the matter should have urgent consideration is the point that I particularly want to stress. The House listened with increasing dismay to the Secretary of State for the Environment, who made a number of statements which, in effect, were a new departure in policy, even for this Government — first, further to restrict local government control of its own money and resources; secondly, to betray the promises made to owner-occupiers and people buying older premises, particularly young married couples; and, thirdly, to betray commitments given to the building and construction industry. Commitments to the homeless and to people living in substandard accommodation have also been broken as a result of today's statements.

This is an urgent matter because local authorities will have to make immediate changes in their plans and programmes for the coming financial year. They will have to begin immediately to adjust to the new circumstances under which they are expected to operate by the Government. When I say local authorities, I mean not just housing authorities but also the capital programmes of the shire counties.

In view of the overwhelming resentment and anger displayed by the House of Commons following these statements, the House should have the opportunity to discuss the matter as soon as possible, certainly before the Christmas recess. The Secretary of State said—I think I quote his words correctly—that he was operating "under decisions of the House". The House should be given an immediate opportunity to debate the implications of his statement and to record its view before it is too late and before local authority capital expenditure programmes, the building and contruction industry and the homeless are plunged into further problems and difficulties.