§ 17. Ms Harriet Harmanasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide for higher targets and grant-related assessments for services currently provided by the Greater London council, in the event of its abolition, on transfer to the London boroughs.
§ Mr.WaldegraveYes. The boroughs' targets and GREs will need to be increased as a result of abolition.
§ 22. Mr.Sedgemoreasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will place in the Library a full list of London organisations who have responded to Cmnd. 9063; and if he will prepare a separate analysis of their responses.
§ Mr.WaldegraveNo. It would be disproportionately costly to do so.
§ 26. Mr. Ray Powellasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what request he has received to meet the Association of British Chambers of Commerce to discuss aspects of Cmnd. 9063.
§ Mr.Patrick JenkinIn submitting its comments on the White Paper, the association asked for a meeting which I intend to hold shortly.
§ 31. Mr. Chris Smithasked the Secretary of State for the Environment on what date his Department received a copy of the second report of Coopers and Lybrand on the costs involved in abolishing the metropolitan counties and the Greater London council.
§ Mr.WaldegraveOn 22 February.
§ 32. Mr.Corbynasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has had any meetings with any organisations that submitted a response to Cmnd. 9063 in order to discuss with them the issues raised in such responses.
§ Mr.Patrick JenkinYes.
§ 34. Mr.Stanbrookasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements he proposes to make to meet the needs of those members of the staffs of the Greater London council and the metropolitan authorities who will be made redundant after the abolition of their employing authorities.
§ Mr.WaldegraveChapter 4 of the White Paper "Streamlining the Cities", Cmnd. 9063 sets out our general approach. Before reaching final decisions we wish to discuss them with the unions who will be directly concerned. My right hon. Friend has recently renewed his longstanding invitation to staff representatives to discuss these matters. I hope they will quickly take up his invitation.