HC Deb 27 March 1998 vol 309 cc294-5W
Helen Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the consultation papers arising from the local government finance review will be published. [37050]

Ms Armstrong

Three consulting papers will be published on Monday 30 March:Improving local financial accountability, Business Rates, and Capital Finance.

Finance is the third element in the Government's programme to modernise local government. Many of the ideas floated in the finance papers draw on our earlier consultation papers on renewing local democracy and introducing best value. The finance papers include options for giving councils more discretion over local tax and spending decisions by ending crude and universal capping and providing a new power to set a local business rate.

Copies of the consultation papers will be sent to every MP and placed in the Library.