asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she is satisfied with her Department's powers to monitor their response to her request for cuts in spending on social services by local authority social service departments.

As explained by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his Budget Statement on 15th April, central and local government working together in the new Consultative Council will be able to do the necessary monitoring of expenditure.—[Vol. 890, c. 296–7.]