§ Sir Dudley SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many times, since the original introduction of the community charge, senior officials of his Department have refused to meet senior officials of county councils, following their request for such a meeting.
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§ Mr. PortilloMinisters have made it clear that we are willing to receive delegations from local authorities to discuss their representations and in particular any new evidence which they may wish to bring forward. Officials meet the local authority associations on a regular basis to discuss all aspects of local government finance. They do not generally meet representatives of individual authorities other than to clarify points of technical detail.