§ Mr. Heathcoat-Amoryasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the outcome of the review of local authority fees and charges.
§ Mr. RidleyIn the light of the review, the Government have decided to provide an enabling power in primary legislation, allowing new or amended charging powers to be introduced by order. The Government consider that allowing new charging powers to be introduced in secondary legislation in this way will give central and local government more flexibility to respond to changing circumstances.
The enabling power will also allow the level of fees and charges under existing, new or amended charging powers to be prescribed or varied.
The enabling power will not be exercisable in respect of certain functions and services, including school education, policing, firefighting and elections. In addition there are many areas in respect of which the enabling power will formally be exercisable, but to which the Department has no plans to introduce or extend charging powers. These include basic public library services and household waste collection.