KEETCH QUESTIONS MINISTER ON CROOKALL REPORT

4.39.22pm UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 10th Dec 2007

Paul Keetch, Lib Dem MP for Hereford, took the opportunity to raise questions with the local government Minister, John Healey, in the Commons today.

Mr Keetch, attending the Minister's Statement to the House on local government finance asked whether it was important that a local authority's financial management and service provision contributes to the amount of funding central government provides. The Minister confirmed this was the case.

Mr Keetch then went on to ask whether the Minister had personally seen a copy of the Crookall report and would agree to it being published in full so that the residents of Herefordshire at least would be party to the contents which have been kept under wraps by the Conservative led Herefordshire Council. The Minister admitted that he had not seen the report personally but would obtain a copy.

"Questioning the Minister as I have and obtaining his agreement to see the publication for himself might help determine why this Tory Council has been so secretive in its mismanagement of the scandals that have been exposed recently.

"I hope that the taxpayers of Herefordshire can be provided with answers to the many questions being asked," Mr Keetch said.