Clause 13
Greater London Authority Bill
4:30 pm
Michael Gove (Shadow Minister (Housing), Communities and Local Government; Surrey Heath, Conservative)
Thank you, Mr. O’Hara. My hon. Friend has made an extravagant analogy, but it was very much à point. He is absolutely right to point out that many people will question how a budget can be passed by the Mayor and just a third of the assembly, when nearly two thirds of that assembly are unhappy with the budget proposal. People will ask how effective is the scrutiny role of the GLA when more than a majority in the GLA—more than 60 per cent.—are opposed to what the Mayor wishes to do, yet the Mayor can carry on willy-nilly. People think that the scrutiny function of the GLA is weaker than it needs to be.
To move from the theoretical to the practical, we are all aware that the GLA precept has increased significantly. We will come later to subsequent amendments that will allow the people of London to discover just how much that precept is increasing and will make more transparent the additional costs imposed on them by the Mayor. Given the rise in the Mayor’s budget, it seems appropriate that the scrutiny function should be enhanced, too.