§ SIR JOHN BRUNNER (Cheshire, Northwich)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board—(1) whether he received on the 5th of July of last year from the Runcorn Urban District Council an application for power to accept gifts of real and personal property under Section 8 (1) (h) of the Local Government Act, 1894 (a power enjoyed under that Act by every parish council in the country), and why the council has had to wait 11½ months and has not yet been granted the power; and (2) whether he is prepared to introduce legislation for the purpose of endowing district, borough and county councils with the powers now enjoyed by parish councils of receiving gifts of real and personal property for the benefit of the inhabitants?
§ MR. CHAPLINThe Runcorn Urban District Council applied to the Local Government Board in July last to have conferred upon them the power to appoint Overseers and Assistant Overseers, and also the powers of a Parish Council under a number of enactments, including that mentioned in the Question. Orders enabling the District Council to appoint Overseers and Assistant Overseers have been issued. There has been some delay in coming to a decision as to the remainder of the application, but Orders are now in preparation conferring upon the Runcorn Urban District Council some of the powers of a Parish Council, including that referred to by the hon. Baronet, and these Orders will shortly be issued. As regards the last paragraph of the Question, I may refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to a similar inquiry by him on the 24th February last. As I then stated, it does not appear to be necessary to propose legislation on this subject.