§ 41. Mr. Dunnachieasked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he next proposes to discuss the reform of local government finance with the local authority associations.
§ Mr. ChopeMy Department has established a number of working groups with the local authority associations to discuss our proposals for reforming the present system of financing local government in England. The annual cycle 727W of meetings of the Consultative Council on Local Government Finance, which are chaired by my right hon. Friend, should recommence in the spring of next year.
§ 74. Mr. David Porterasked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to publish his detailed proposals to reform the present system of financing of local government.
§ Mr. HowardThe Government's proposals for changes to the local finance system were set out in the Green Paper "Paying for Local Government" (Cmnd. 9714) published on 28 January 1986. Consultation on the proposals ran until 31 October 1986 and the Government subsequently published a document "Paying for Local Government: The Community Charge", confirming that they intended to proceed and setting out the proposed administrative arrangements, on 15 December 1986. Since then we have published further documents setting out the Government's proposals for amending the non-domestic rating system and for a new grant system. It was announced in the Gracious Speech that a Bill would be introduced in this Session of Parliament to reform the present rating system.