§ 12. Mr. Amessasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the impact of the Local Government Act 1986 on the activities of local councils, with particular reference to political publicity and information campaigns.
§ Mr. RidleyNo formal procedures have been instituted to monitor the effects of the 1986 Act, but I am watching its operation carefully.
§ Mr. AmessIs my right hon. Friend aware that Basildon district council continues to flout the law by spending ratepayers' money on propaganda to bolster Labour councillors' chances in marginal seats and by telling the editor of Link magazine not to photograph local Conservative Members of Parliament or report their presence at any event? Does my right hon. Friend agree that such bias is quite wrong?
§ Mr. RidleyI entirely agree that such bias as my hon. Friend alleges is quite wrong, but I encourage him to use the remedies of the civil law, which are there to interpret the 1986 Act. Even if we strengthen those powers it will still be a civil law requirement to enforce them. That is where my hon. Friend's remedies should properly lie.