HL Deb 28 October 1971 vol 324 cc958-9WA
LORD INGLEWOOD

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they are aware that the paper submitted by Cumberland County Council to the Department of the Environment in reply to their Circular 58/71, setting out a detailed scheme for the sub-division of Area 9 into nine possible second-tier authorities, including proposals covering the whole of the County of Westmorland. parts of Lancashire and the County Boroughs of Carlisle and Barrow-in-Furness, was in fact prepared by a committee of Cumberland County Council only, and was never seen or discussed by the Council before submission to the Department and issue to the Press, and that the references to Westmorland, Lancashire, Carlisle and Barrow-in-Furness were largely made without the agreement, and in some cases the knowledge, of these authorities, and whether they will ignore this document as having no convincing authority and being misleading in its detail.

LORD SANDFORD

My Lords, Her Majesty's Government are aware of the fact that the proposals received from Cumberland County Council for the district pattern of the proposed new county represent a resolution or the County Council's co-ordinating committee, and are subject to consideration by the County Council itself at their next ordinary meeting on November 17. It has been arranged that any amendment which the Council may then make to the proposals of their committee will be notified to the Department of the Environment immediately, and taken into account; but meanwhile it is useful in this, as in other instances, to receive an indication of what is being recommended to the Council, so that preparatory work may be started now on a provisional basis.

As regards consultations, Her Majesty's Government welcome wide consultations between local authorities in these matters, but no local authority can speak for another, unless so authorised, and all representations by authorities will be presented to the proposed Local Government Boundary Commission when it is set up.

EARL ST. ALDWYN

My Lords, I beg to move that the House do adjourn during pleasure until 10.25 p.m.

Moved, That the House do adjourn during pleasure until 10.25 p.m.—(Earl St. A Idwyn.)

On Question, Motion agreed to, and House adjourned accordingly.

House resumed.