HC Deb 21 March 2000 vol 346 cc467-8W
Mr. Coaker

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the transparency of the decision-making process of those authorities which have experimented with the cabinet-style arrangements envisaged by the Local Government Bill [Lords]. [115491]

Ms Beverley Hughes

We have made no general assessment of experimental arrangements. However, any such experiments have been carried out within the existing statutory framework which was not designed to deliver the transparency of decision-making which will be put in place by our proposals in the Local Government Bill.

Mr. Coaker

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps he will take to ensure transparency in the decision-making process of the cabinet-style arrangements envisaged by the Local Government Bill [Lords]. [115489]

Ms Beverley Hughes

The arrangements we are proposing in Part II of the Local Government Bill and draft guidance are designed to ensure transparent and inclusive decision-making. These new arrangements involve: an inclusive process of formulating a council's policy framework and budget, which will be the responsibility of the full council in public; publicly known individuals—the executive—being personally responsible for implementing this framework and budget; accurate recording of decisions and their reasons, and timely publication of these and of the background and factual papers available to the decision-maker(s); and powerful overview and scrutiny committees, meeting in public: to discuss and make recommendations on the development of policies; and to hold each executive member to account for what he or she has done and is planning to do.

Mr. Coaker

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the responses to the Consultative Draft Guidance and Regulations with respect to the Local Government Bill [Lords]. [115490]

Ms Beverley Hughes

We have received very many helpful and constructive responses to the consultative draft guidance and regulations on new constitutions for councils. We are currently analysing these responses in detail and will consider them all carefully when revising the drafts for further consultation.