§ Lord Ormeasked Her Majesty's Government:
When there will he public consultation on the current review of the balance of funding for English local authorities. [HL4070]
§ The Minister of State, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (Lord Rooker)Following a commitment in the 2001 local government White Paper, we are carrying out a wide-ranging review of the balance between central and local sources of funding for local government in England. This review is being steered by a high level group, chaired by my right honourable friend the Member for Greenwich and Woolwich in the other place, which includes senior representatives of central and local government as well as business, the unions, the academic world and the accountancy profession.
To inform the work of the group my right honourable friend the Member for Greenwich and Woolwich is today issuing an invitation to all those interested to submit comments by 30 September 2003. Copies of the invitation letter will be available in the Libraries of the House, the Printed Paper Office and on the website of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.