§ MR. DAVID THOMAS (Merthyr Tydvil)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether any transfer to the County Councils of powers of certain Government Departments and other authorities has been made by his Department under the provisions of Section 10 of the Local Government Act, 1888, and particularly whether any powers have been transferred, under sub-Section 3 of Clause 10, to the County Councils of two or more counties jointly, to be exercised and discharged by a joint committee of such councils; whether there has been any demand on the part of County Councils, either in England or Wales, to have any of the powers exercised by Government Departments transferred to themselves; and if he has any official reports indicating that, the attitude of the non-county boroughs has materially changed since 1889 in respect of such transfer.
§ MR. WALTER LONGThe answer to the first paragraph of the Question is in the negative, and to the second in the affirmative. In 1898, a Departmental Committee, which had been appointed to consider, amongst other matters, how far it would be possible to devolve on County Councils certain work done by the Local Government Board, reported that the hostility of the non-county boroughs, and of the majority of the Urban Councils, to the transfer of any further powers to the County Councils, and their preference for the control of the central authority were declared, by the witnesses examined on behalf of these authorities, to be stronger even than they were in 1889.
§ * MR. ALFRED DAVIES (Carmarthen Boroughs)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board if he will 149 state generally what powers and duties he has the right to transfer to Welsh County Councils under Clause 10 of the Local Government Act of 1888.
§ MR. WALTER LONGA Provisional Order made by the Local Government Board under the section mentioned may transfer any of the powers and duties referred to in sub-Section (1) of the section, provided that the draft is approved by the Government Department or body whose powers or duties would be affected. As the law now stands, however, any transfer under the section must he made to County Councils in England and Wales generally, and it would not be practicable to limit it to Welsh County Councils only.
§ * MR. ALFRED DAVIESMy Question has not been answered. I want to know generally, what powers and duties can be transferred to County Councils?
§ MR. WALTER LONGAnd I have told the hon. Gentleman that any transfer can only be made generally, and not to individual County Councils.