Greater London Authority Act 1999

31 Limits of the general power

(1) The Authority shall not by virtue of section 30(1) above incur expenditure in doing anything which may be done by a functional body other than the London Development Agency.

(2) In determining whether to exercise the power conferred by section 30(1) above, the Authority shall seek to secure that it does not incur expenditure in doing anything which is being done by the London Development Agency.

(3) The Authority shall not by virtue of section 30(1) above incur expenditure in providing—

(a) any housing,

(b) any education services,

(c) any social services, or

(d) any health services,

in any case where the provision in question may be made by a London borough council, the Common Council or any other public body.

(4) Any reference in subsection (3) above to the provision of housing—

(a) includes a reference to the management of housing; but

(b) does not include a reference to the acquisition by the Authority of existing housing accommodation and the making of that accommodation available on a temporary basis for one or more of the principal purposes of the Authority or for purposes incidental to such a purpose.

(5) Any reference in subsection (3) above to the provision of social services is a reference to the exercise of—

(a) any function under any enactment for the time being specified in Schedule 1 to the [1970 c. 42] Local Authority Social Services Act 1970, or

(b) any function for the time being designated by an order made by the Secretary of State under section 2(2) of that Act as being appropriate for discharge through a local authority’s social services committee.

(6) Nothing in subsections (1) to (5) above shall be taken to prevent the Authority incurring expenditure in co-operating with, or facilitating or co-ordinating the activities of, the bodies mentioned in those subsections.

(7) The Secretary of State may by order amending this section make further provision for preventing the Authority from doing by virtue of section 30(1) above anything—

(a) which may be done by a London borough council, the Common Council or a public body, and

(b) which is specified, or is of a description specified, in the order.

(8) The Secretary of State may by order impose limits on the expenditure which may be incurred by the Authority by virtue of section 30(1) above.

(9) The Secretary of State may by order amending this section make provision removing or restricting any prohibitions or limitations imposed by this section on what may be done by the Authority by virtue of section 30(1) above.