Mr. Amesasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will order a special audit of Basildon district council in respect of expenditure incurred in relation to the declaration of Basildon as a nuclear-free zone; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WaldegraveNo. The primary responsibility for directing an extraordinary audit now rests with the Audit Commission. I do, however, deplore the expenditure of ratepayers' money on political gestures of this kind on matters unrelated to the council's proper responsibilities.