§ Mr. David NicholsonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received regarding the desirability of establishing registers of financial interests for(a) county and (b) district councillors; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyWe said in the "Conduct of Local Authority Business—Government Response to the Widdicombe Committee of Inquiry" (Cm. 433) that we propose to introduce legislation for statutory registers of pecuniary interests for councillors (see paragraphs 4.3–4.4). We have set up a working group with the local authority associations to consider what such registers should contain. We hope to introduce amendments on this subject to the current Local Government and Housing Bill.