§ Mr. Jonathan EvansTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what action he proposes to take to deal with those councils which are using council reserves to undertake a general regrading of local authority staff in advance of consideration of staff transfer orders for the new unitary authorities elected under the local Government (Wales) Bill[Lords].
§ Mr. Gwilym JonesThe Shadow Staff Commission for Wales is consulting local authorities about a draft circular on regrading in the period before local government reorganisation. If the commission decides to issue advice on this matter after Royal Assent to the Local Government (Wales) Bill[Lords], it would be open to my right hon. Friend to direct authorities to comply with the advice.
87WI informed the Association of District Councils at its conference on 29 June that my right hon. Friend and I are concerned about the marked increase in use of reserves by Welsh local authorities. Use of reserves is a matter for councillors. We do not propose to give special help to any new authority which finds that it has inherited only limited reserves from its predecessors.