§ Mr. Deakinsasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how the additional sums available for voluntary organisations in the event of abolition of the Greater London council and metropolitan counties will be disbursed; and if any part of such sums will be made available for voluntary organisations in the London borough of Waltham Forest.
§ Sir George YoungWe will make proposals in a consultation paper shortly. The scheme will apply to the London borough of Waltham Forest.
§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many civil servants in his Department and at what grades are currently engaged on work associated with the abolition of the Greater London council and the metropolitan county councils; and what is the total cost
§ Mr. WaldegraveThe latest available information, which relates to 1 March, was set out in my right hon. Friend's answer to the hon. Member on 4 April at columns 762–3.
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§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what will be the legatee responsibilities of the London residuary body
§ Mr. Kenneth BakerI refer the hon. Member to clause 60 of the Local Government Bill as sent to the House of Lords on 29 March 1985, and to section 2.27 of the Yellow Book issued in July 1984.
§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the latest date the London residuary body will be expected to notify successor authorities of its proposed charges and levy.
§ Mr. Kenneth BakerClause 72 of the Local Government Bill requires each residuary body to issue its levy demand to the rating authorities not less than twenty-one days before the beginning of the financial year to which the levy relates. I would, however, expect each residuary body to notify successor authorities of its proposed charges and levies well before that date.
§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what finance functions will need to be carried out by the London residuary body acting on behalf of other successor authorities.
§ Mr. Kenneth BakerThese will be matters for the successor authorities and the London residuary body to decide.
§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is the total cost of the consultants' studies of the proposed residuary bodies;
(2) what firms of consultants were considered for the study of the proposed residuary bodies.
§ Mr. Kenneth BakerI have nothing to add to the reply given to the hon. Member on 22 May 1985 at columns 437 and 438
§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the considerations taken into account in deciding to employ consultants to appraise the proposed residuary bodies.
§ Mr. Kenneth BakerEconomy, efficiency, and effectiveness.
§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what finance functions would need to be continued without any intervening break by the London residuary body if the Greater London council were to be abolished.
§ Mr. Kenneth BakerThose in support of respon sibilities conferred on the London residuary body under part VII of the Local Government Bill— in particular clause 56 (debt), clause 57 (compensation), clauses 58 and 59 (pensions), clause 60 (residual property, liabilities, etc.), and clause 61 (preparation of final accounts) — together with such other tasks as it may assume on behalf of successor bodies.
§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how the cost of the consultants' studies on the proposed residuary bodies will be allocated to successor authorities;
(2) how the cost of providing support to the proposed residuary bodies until their formal establishment is to be allocated to successor authorities.
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§ Mr. Kenneth BakerThese costs will be borne by my Department. They will not be allocated to successor authorities.
§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) when he expects to announce the arrangements for the delegation of his powers to nominate tenants to former Greater London council housing, in the event of the Greater London council being abolished;
(2) when he intends to make an order conferring on the Secretary of State nomination rights to former Greater London council dwellings in the event of the Greater London council being abolished.
§ Sir George YoungMy right hon. Friend expects to make an announcement on these matters later in the year.
§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the latest date before 31 March 1986 by which staff of the Greater London council and metropolitan county councils will be advised that their services are not required by successor authorities.
§ Mr. Kenneth BakerGLC and MCC staff still in those councils' employment immediately before the abolition day will be left redundant, unless either they have been designated in an order under clause 51 of the Local Government Bill; or they have received an offer of new employment to which clause 53 would apply.
All successor authorities are under a duty by virtue of clause 54 to decide what staff they will require and to make timely offers of employment. They will also be expected to notify staff designated for transfer to them under a clause 51 order. The residuary bodies will also be required to take early steps to assess their staffing needs and inform those staff whose services they will require.
§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made in the initial calculation of grant-related expenditure assessments and targets for the London residuary body.
§ Mr. Kenneth BakerThe residuary bodies will not have grant related expenditure assessments or targets.
§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment at what date the boroughs will receive notification of that part of their expenditure target which will be in respect of the expenditure of the London residuary body; and how he will calculate and apportion the targets in respect of the London residuary body.
§ Mr. Kenneth BakerNo decisions have yet been taken on the future of targets after 1986–87.
§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what arrangements he intends to make to provide the Inner London education authority with computer-based information on the condition and maintenance of its buildings after the abolition of the Greater London council on 1 April 1986;
(2) what are his plans for the future of the current analysis and dissemination of data relating to London traffic accidents carried out jointly and co-operatively by the Metropolitan police and the Greater London council computing service for the London boroughs;
(3) what are the comparative costs associated with providing computing services to the successor bodies after the abolition of the Greater London council; and if he will make a statement;
37W(4).what level of savings on the use of information technology he expects to accrue to London's ratepayers after the abolition of the Greater London council on 1 April 1986;
(5) what arrangements he intends to make for the Greater London council's welfare benefits computer project after the abolition of the Greater London council on 1 April 1986;
(6).what arrangements he intends to make to provide the London Fire Brigade with mainframe computer facilities after the abolition of the Greater London council on 1 April 1986;
(7) if he will make a statement on the future application of information technology across the range of London's public services after the abolition of the Greater London council; and if he will make a statement;
(8)what progress he is making with measures to ensure the maintenance of computer services currently provided by the Greater London council; and if he will make a statement;
(9)what progress he is making towards ensuring that successor bodies are adequately provided with computing facilities, following the abolition of the Greater London council;
(10)whether he has any plans for providing computing services for the Inner London education authority and the other residuary bodies following the proposed abolition of the Greater London council;
(11)what he intends to do with the computing facilities maintained by the Greater London council; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Kenneth BakerI refer the hon. Member to the reply which my hon. Friend gave him on 23 May 1985 at column505. The residuary body will be able to provide computer facilities to ILEA and where there is a demand for this to other successors on a recharging basis until permanent arrangements can be made for the dispositon of computer facilities.
§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he intends to take reserve powers to ensure that all residuary bodies will be able to advise 38W successor authorities on their grant-related expenditure allocation of all the necessary charges and levies that need to be included in successor authorities' 1986–87 budgets;
(2) how the expenditure of the proposed residuary bodies which will count as expenditure by successor authorities will be identified; and what is the timescale involved.
§ Mr. Kenneth BakerResiduary bodies will charge the successor authorities for the services they render to them. Net expenditure by the residuary bodies not otherwise covered will be met by the residuary bodies' levies, which will be subject to the same timetable as precepts by upper tier authorities. I have no intention to take the reserve powers the hon. Member proposes.
§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements he intends to make to replace the information technology training facilities provided at present by the Greater London council after the abolition of the Greater London council on 1 April 1986
§ Mr. Kenneth BakerIt will be for successor authorities to decide whether or not they wish to continue to provide these facilities after abolition, and in what form.