§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will direct the London Residuary Body to allocate funds, now available following the Law Lords' ruling, to the Richmond scheme;
(2) if he intends to advise the London Residuary body to allocate funds, now available following the Law Lords' ruling, to the 900 voluntary organisations in London which had expected to receive such funds from the Greater London council.
§ Mr. TraceyMy right hon. Friend will wish to consider the effects of the Law Lords ruling on the legality of GLC forward funding and of other similar proposals which are currently at issue. This will include consideration by the London Residuary Body of the 173W estimated size of the GLC's closing balances. The provision of assistance for voluntary bodies in London is now primarily a matter for the London boroughs and the City of London to consider in the light of the resources which will be available to them.
§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to have set up the trust fund arising from the sale of Greater London council properties to fund voluntary groups in London.
§ Mr. TraceyMy right hon. Friend expects to begin consultation soon on a draft order under section 49 of the Local Government Act 1985 to provide a grant to the Trust for London. The timing of a grant to the trust will depend on the results of this consultation.