Member

These arguments feed directly into Amendment 196B, tabled by the noble Lord, Lord Bassam, which seeks for the designation of local accounting officers to strengthen accountability for public spending. This is of a piece with the wider debate that we are having today. It reflects the same underlying concerns that as power and funding move closer to communities, accountability must follow just as clearly, visibly and robustly. This is not a debate about structures for its own sake. It is about whether the Government have a credible, coherent plan to ensure that trust, accountability and value for money keep pace with devolution.