§ Mr. Rathboneasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans for bringing forward his report on local government finance before the Chancellor's next Budget.
§ Mr. OakesNo. The Chairman of the Committee of Inquiry into Local Government Finance, Mr. Frank Layfield, QC, has been asked to report by the end of 1975. This inquiry has to cover a great deal of ground and must analyse matters of great complexity. The target set imposes a very tight programme on Mr. Layfield, and I think it would be neither fair nor realistic to task him to report sooner.