§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Prime Minister if she will list the members of Her Majesty's Government who will be taking part in the negotiations with the local authority associations on the rate support grant for 1980–81.
§ Mr. WhitelawI have been asked to reply.
The consultative council on local government finance for England and Wales does not have a fixed membership. The council is chaired by the Secretary of State for the Environment and is attended as necessary by Ministers from the Treasury, the Department of the Environment, the Department of Education and Science, the Department of Health and Social Security, the Home Office, the Ministry of Transport, the Department of Employment, the Department of Trade and the Welsh Office. There are similar arrangements in Scotland, where the Secretary of State for Scotland is the responsible Minister.