asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will now take steps to appoint an ombudsman to investigate complaints in regard to local government matters in Greater London.

As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister made clear in his announcement of 22nd July, detailed proposals for extending the ombudsman system into local government will be worked out in consultation with the local authority associations and other bodies concerned and presented in the context of local government reorganisation. My hon. Friend's suggestion will be considered in the course of these consultations.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the large number of cases which have arisen in London, which has already had its local government reorganisation, have clearly established the need for a completely objective ombudsman to deal with complaints against local authorities over the whole area and that in the meantime piecemeal attempts like that of the London Borough of Haringey to appoint its own ombudsman are not satisfactory because inevitably he cannot have the same objectivity?

I have a great deal of sympathy, so has my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, with what my hon. Friend has suggested, but there is a great deal of ground to be cleared and we shall have to have discussions with local authorities before I can give a very firm answer on what she has suggested.