HC Deb 03 February 1994 vol 236 cc879-80W
Mr. Marland

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the Government's intentions for the local government review following the High Court judgment of the Lancashire challenge.

Mr. Pickthall

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he is taking in response to the High Court judgment in the action brought by Lancashire and Derbyshire county councils which deletes as unlawful a sentence from the November 1993 policy guidance to the local government commission.

Mr. Gordon Prentice

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what additional guidance he intends to give to the Local Government Commission on the conduct of the review following the High Court decision on Lancashire and Derbyshire on 28 January.

Mr. Gummer

The review of local government in England and the work of the Local Government Commission will continue. The Government are not appealing against the court ruling, which makes it clear that the Local Government Commission exercises its own judgment—something that has never been in dispute. The commission's reviews will continue on the basis of the policy guidance issued in November 1993 with the omission of the final sentence of paragraph 3. The aim of the local government review continues to be to provide effective and convenient local government which takes account of community identities. The Government believe that unitary authorities will often be the best way of achieving these objectives. In those cases they will be able to reduce costs and improve the quality and co-ordination of services. They will therefore often provide the best form of local government. Decisions will be taken on commission recommendations in that light. However, there is no national blueprint and the Government do not rule out consideration of two tiers in particular cirumstances, with or without changes to the status quo, where a strong case for that is made.