Local Government Commission (Hansard, 12 July 1994)

§ Mr. Gordon Prentice
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much has been spent by the Local Government Commission to date on opinion polling; and what assessment he has made of the usefulness of such polling.

§ Mr. Curry
The cost of opinion polling carried out for the Local Government Commission during the course of its reviews is a matter for the commission itself, within its overall budget. It is also for the commission itself to determine the value of those public opinion surveys.

§ Mr. Gordon Prentice
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much the Local Government Commission has spent on direct communication with the public where it invites replies via freepost.

§ Mr. Curry
This is a matter for the Local Government Commission.

§ Mr. Robert Banks
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what formula the Local Government Commission uses to assess the intangible costs and benefits of local government reconstruction in North Yorkshire.

§ Mr. Baldry
Section 3 of the revised policy guidance which my Department issued to the Local Government Commission in November 1993 gives advice on the treatment of intangible costs and benefits. How the commission incorporates this advice into its recommendations on particular review areas is a matter for it.

§ Mr. Gordon Prentice
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many hours per week Sir John Banham devotes to the Local Government Commission.

§ Mr. Curry
The time commitment of the chairman varies from month to month, according to the demands of the review timetable. He works on average two days a week.