§ Mr. Denis Howellasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he is aware of the financial difficulties of local government, resulting from the block grant system of financing local authority services and their uneconomic geographical structure; and if he will advise the appointment of a Royal Commission to investigate and report upon the pattern and purpose of local government required in modern circumstances.
§ Sir K. JosephThe answer to both parts of the question is "no". The 181W Government are already undertaking a general review of local and central government finance. The special problems of London Government were recently investigated by a Royal Commission on whose report the Government have acted. For the rest of England, the review of local government organisation is best left to the Local Government Commission whose work is well advanced. For Wales, I would refer the hon. Member to my statement last week.