HC Deb 02 April 1936 vol 310 cc2130-1
63. Mr. BOOTHBY

asked the Minister of Health whether His Majesty's Government will set up a Royal Commission to investigate the existing delimitations of local authorities and to make recommendations for their improvement?

The MINISTER of HEALTH (Sir Kingsley Wood)

I would invite my hon. Friend's attention to the reports of the Royal Commission on Local Government which sat from 1923 to 1928 under the chairmanship of Lord Onslow, and made recommendations which formed the basis of the provisions with regard to the rearrangement of county districts in the Local Government Act, 1929. I do not think that the appointment of another Royal Commission to deal with these problems is at present called for.

Mr. BOOTHBY

Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that that was one of the principal recommendations of the report on the North-Eastern distressed areas, signed by the Secretary for the Department of Overseas Trade, who is now sitting next to him?