We will shortly instigate a debate on local government. The Minister made interesting comments at various conferences about granting additional powers to local councillors who would also have to take on additional responsibilities. He publicly mooted the idea of giving them the power to introduce some degree of local taxation. Some might be frightened about such a prospect but if we want to make local government strong, real and meaningful and give those with an interest in public life an option of serving at local level and being real leaders of their communities, we will need meaningful reform of local government, something about which we have been talking for 20 years. However, we have gone into reverse in this regard. It is disappointing to consider that local councillors in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s had more power than local councillors under the current system. Therefore, it needs urgent reform.