§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what changes he will be making to section 19 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976, including education departments via the Education Act 1944; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyIt is our intention to enable local authorities to delegate their discretionary charging powers under section 19 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976, if they so wish, to contractors who manage sports and leisure facilities set up under the same section. We are currently considering how to achieve this and what the wider implications of such an amendment would be.