asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will introduce legislation to seek to give the Commissioner for Local Administration powers to ensure that the recommendations contained in his reports are implemented.

I have been asked to reply.The Commission for Local Administration in England is under a statutory duty to review annually the operation of part III of the Local Government Act 1974. It made no recommendation to me in its latest review about the enforcement of recommendations in its reports, and the Government have at present no plans to introduce legislation for this purpose.