§ Mr. Bradleyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has received a copy of the report published jointly by the local authority associations and the Greater London Council, on central Government controls over local authorities; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ShoreYes. I have received this useful report, and copies have gone also to my ministerial colleagues on the Consultative Council for Local Government Finance. The report derives from a request which I made to the local authority side of the consultative council last year when it was invited to put forward its views on controls. We shall arrange for its analysis and recommendations to be discussed in detail between the Departments directly concerned and the associations and the Greater London Council; and progress will be reported back to an early meeting of the consultative council. The objective of the Government throughout these discussions will be to develop further the essential partnership between central and local government in a way that gives local authorities the fullest448W measure of autonomy consistent with the central government's responsibility for the control of public expenditure, and determining national policies and priorities, and with the special responsibiltes of Ministers in relation to particular services.
We agree with the associations and the GLC that it is important to keep under review on a regular basis the need for particular controls, and the ways in which the Government seek to influence particular aspects of policy. The opportunity occurs from time to time to look at particular policy areas with a view to relaxing specific controls. This new report, however, provides us with a chance which we welcome to look comprehensively at the whole subject.