§ Mr. MaddenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the statutory obligations currently placed upon metropolitan district councils in England; and if he will describe in each case how councils are monitored to ensure their statutory obligations are being met satisfactorily.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyInformation in the form requested is not available. My reply to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside (Mr. Blunkett) on 3 November 1988 at columns735–36 listed Acts of Parliament since 1979 which had application to local government. The Department monitors the financial aspects of new legislative proposals which have implications for local authority expenditure. The independent auditor monitors local authority compliance with statutory obligations and powers in the raising and spending of money and local authorities' responsibility for securing value for money, in accordance with the code of local government audit practice approved by Parliament.