HC Deb 06 December 1984 vol 69 cc235-6W
Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the number of staff which would be needed by the London residuary body to manage and service the Greater London council mortgage account.

Sir George Young

Under paragraph 10 of schedule 13 to the Local Government Bill it will be for the London residuary body to decide what staff it needs to discharge its functions, including its proposed responsibility for managing and servicing the GLC's mortgage account. I expect the body to give early attention to its staffing needs, as soon as it is set up after Royal Assent to the Bill, so that arrangements for the employees concerned are in place well before abolition day.

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he is considering for the monitoring and control of staff levels in the joint boards he proposes to set up if the Greater London council and metropolitan counties are abolished.

Sir George Young

Clause 80 of the Local Government Bill enables my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport to require the relevant joint authorities to submit to them manpower schemes for the first three financial years following the establishment of these authorities. We also intend that the staff of the joint authorities should come within the joint manpower watch arrangements.

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in the event of the abolition of the Greater London council, he will take into account when assessing financial targets the impact on boroughs containing present Greater London council housing action or general improvement areas.

Mr. Kenneth Baker

No decisions have yet been taken on the future of expenditure targets beyond 1985–86.

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Richmond and Barnes (Mr. Hanley) on 15 November, Official Report, column 314, if he has asked the councils of the districts in which are located Greater London council seaside and country homes for assurances that they would maintain current standards of management and maintenance if, as proposed, the homes were transferred to the districts in the event of the Greater London council being abolished.

Sir George Young

I have announced that the financial basis of the transfer of ownership will enable the district councils to maintain the levels of management and maintenance expenditure they inherit on abolition. The levels adopted will be a matter for local decision. For the first time, however, the decisions will be taken by local authorities for which the tenants are electors, rather than by county hall in London.

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in the event of the abolition of the Greater London council, he will adjust the block grant poundage schedule for London local authorities in respect of the expenditure on land drainage transferred to the Thames water authority, in a similar way to that which he proposes for the transfer of expenditure from the Greater London council to London Regional Transport.

Mr. Kenneth Baker

The Government are discussing the details of the post-abolition block grant distribution system with representatives of the local authorities. No final decisions have yet been made.