§ 22. Mr. LYONSasked the Minister of Health whether, with a view of safeguarding the ratepayers of a borough against excessive expenditure for no purpose, he will introduce legislation to control the application for extension of boundaries by local authorities or to require the leave of the Minister as a condition to the application being brought?
§ The MINISTER of HEALTH (Sir Hilton Young)As I stated in reply to a question by the hon. Member for Dudley (Mr. Joel) on 19th November, it is my hope that no council will promote a Bill or Provisional Order at the present time without very special reason. I do not, however, think that I could properly undertake to introduce legislation on the lines suggested by my hon. Friend.
§ Mr. LYONSIn view of the fact that in some instances the local authorities get no more than they could have got by negotiations will not the right hon. Gentleman make representations in appropriate cases in order to save the ratepayers' money, where such public applications ought never to have been put forward?
§ Sir H. YOUNGI have no doubt that such observations as I have made on the present occasion, and as I have made on previous occasions, will have something of the desired effect.
Mr. PRICEIs it not true that the right hon. Gentleman already possesses powers under the Act of 1872, Section 4, 1265 and is not this an opportune time to operate those powers in the interests of the ratepayers generally?
§ Sir H. YOUNGIt is not the fact that I can prohibit a local authority from presenting a Bill to Parliament.