§ Mrs. Roeasked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will publish the Widdicombe report; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RidleyI have today laid before the House a copy of the report of the committee of inquiry into the conduct of local authority business, the Widdicombe report.
I should like to thank Mr. David Widdicombe, and his fellow members on the committee, most sincerely for their report. The committee's study has been a thorough one, and its report is impressive in the extent of its coverage and the scope of its findings.
It is also radical in content. Major changes are proposed to deal with the impact of greater politicisation on the conduct of local government business.
The Government believe that the report will stimulate wide-ranging debate. We wish to encourage that debate, and to weigh its outcome before reaching a view on the committee's proposals.
I am therefore issuing an invitation today to all interested parties to let me have their views. I am determined that the time scale for this will be adequate. We shall be looking for substantive responses by the end of this year.
I commend the committee for its major study, and I look forward to the considered response of the public.