§ Mr. HeddleTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to monitor the performance of local authorities in ensuring that their real property assets are managed efficiently and cost effectively.
§ Mrs. RoeThe Audit Commission has recently published a report which recommends measures for the improvement of local authorities' management of their property. The auditors will be following up the recommendations of the report with individual local authorities during the next audit round. My Department will be discussing with the local authority associations and the commission ways in which councils can be encouraged to adopt the report's recommendations.