asked the Minister for the Environment if he is aware of the serious problems created for local authorities by the decision of the Supreme Court that local authorities were not entitled to house people domiciled outside their areas; and if he intends to take any action on the matter.

I am so aware. The implications of the recent Supreme Court judgment have been examined in my Department, and proposals for amending legislation have been formulated with a view to their early introduction.

Is the Minister in a position to tell the House when this will be introduced? The Minister agrees that this is an urgent piece of amending legislation and I should like to know if the amendment will be introduced next week.

Within a matter of weeks.

The remaining questions will appear on tomorrow's Order Paper.