§ 33. Mr. C. BATHURSTasked the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that county councils are inclined to resent the system, under which Local Government Board inspectors visit various sanitary districts within their county areas for the purpose of holding public or other inquiries in relation to housing, sewerage, and other like schemes without any notice being given to the county councils; and whether, in view of the desirability of friendly co-operation between such councils and the Local Government Board and of the fact that county councils are default authorities under the Housing, Town Planning, etc., Act, 1909, and other Statutes, he will, as a matter both of courtesy and expediency, see that intimation of such visits is in future given to such authorities?
§ Mr. BURNSIt is the practice of the Local Government Board in the case of every public inquiry in respect of housing, sewerage, and, where the county council desire it, water supply, to notify the county council concerned of the time and place of the inquiry. It has not, however, been the practice to give the county council notice of a purely informal visit of inspection, and I am not aware of any inclination on the part of any county council to resent the fact that in certain cases inspections of this character are made without notice. Where arrangements are made for the formal inspection of a district in an administrative county instructions have been given that the inspector shall, whenever practicable, inform the county council concerned.
§ Mr. BATHURSTIs there any objection in all cases where the county council is the default authority to giving formal notice to the county council of local inquiries being held under Local Government Acts
§ Mr. BURNSThere may be cases in which the county council itself is in default. I will consider the question of the hon. Member.