§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the financing of the Greater London Enterprise Board in 1985-86 and subsequent years.
§ Mr. Kenneth BakerThe Greater London Enterprise Board is a private company, limited by guarantee, whose financing is primarily a matter for the board itself.
On 27 February 1985 my right hon. Friend gave consent to the GLC under section 7 of the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act 1984 for a grant to the board of £4.896 million under section 137 of the Local Government Act 1972. My right hon. Friend has made it clear to the GLC that in considering whether he should consent to further proposals for further section 137 funding for this private company he will wish to take account of the extent to which liabilities will survive the proposed abolition of the GLC, and be satisfied that adequate arrangements exist for ensuring that GLEB will be properly accountable to London ratepayers for the very large sums of public money it receives.
52W