§ Lord Evans of Claughtonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have received a copy of the independent report commissioned by the metropolitan county councils from Coopers and Lybrand analysing the cost of the Government's proposals to abolish the metropolitan county councils, and, if so, whether they are yet in a position to give their views on the report.
§ Lord BellwinYes. The report confirms our view that detailed costings cannot be undertaken until the boroughs and districts have made decisions about the future handling of services. We remain confident that substantial savings will be made when a whole tier of bureaucracy it removed.