§ 20. Ms EagleTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he last met local authority leaders to discuss the Government's contribution to local authority spending. [3137]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordMy hon. Friend the Secretary of State last met the leaders of the local authority associations at the Consultative Council on Local Government Finance on 16 October to discuss the prospects for the 1997–98 settlement. He is also due to meet the chairman of the local authority associations this afternoon, 19 November, and the 1997–98 local government finance settlement will be one of the items on the agenda.