asked Her Majesty's Government:What will be the estimated cost to the Inner London boroughs of the transfer of inspection for fire control purposes of licensed and unlicensed residential and hostel accommodation as outlined by Lord Elton in his reply to Lord Hale's Starred Question on Wednesday, 25th January.

It is not possible at this stage to estimate the overall financial effect of transferring responsibility for fire certification work in Inner London from the Architect's Department of the Greater London Council to the London Fire Brigade. This will depend on a variety of factors, including decisions about the numbers of staff to be employed on this work by the joint fire board for London. The cost of the certification work will be only one element in the board's budget on which will be based the precept which the board will be empowered to issue to its constituent authorities, including the Inner London borough councils, for the levying of rates.