HC Deb 27 June 1990 vol 175 cc268-9W
38. Miss Widdecombe

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy towards encouraging more efficient local government.

Mr. Portillo

More efficient local government is to everyone's benefit. The potential savings from improved efficiency could be used to reduce charges or to deliver better services at the same charge. The community charge and the introduction of compulsory competitive tendering will each encourage greater efficiency.

85. Sir George Young

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any plans to meet the Controller of the Audit Commission to dicuss the potential for efficiency savings in local government.

Mr. Portillo

I met the Controller on 18 June.

Audit Commission figures released on 13 June 1990 showed that at March 1990 auditors had identified recurrent value improvement opportunities totalling £1,328 million a year, of which £662 million had already been implemented.

It is the duty of the auditor of each local authority to be satisfied by examining the accounts and otherwise, that the authority has made proper arrangements for securing economy, efficiency and effectiveness in its use of resources.

78. Mr. Gerald Bowden

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any plans to meet local authority leaders to discuss the potential for efficiency savings in local government.

Mr. Portillo

This year, as in the past, meetings will be held with leaders of the local authority associations to discuss the revenue support grant settlement. The potential for efficiency savings in local government will be among the subjects under consideration.