§ 36 and 37. Mr. D. Jonesasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he is aware that on three successive occasions at recent meetings of the West Hartlepool Council, it has not been possible to secure the necessary majority for the submission of a scheme for an alteration of ward boundaries, consequent upon the passing of the West Hartlepool Extension Act, 1952; and whether, in the circumstances, he will exercise his powers as provided for in Section 8(3) of the Act referred to above;
(2) whether he is aware of the anxiety being felt by a large number of citizens of West Hartlepool at the absence of a scheme for re-organising the wards in the county borough in accordance with the West Hartlepool Extension Act, 1952; and what steps he proposes to take to expedite the matter, so as to give reasonable time for assimilation of the scheme by the citizens before the municipal elections in May, 1953.
§ Sir D. Maxwell FyfeIf the borough council fail to present a petition for the alteration of wards, Section 8(3) of the West Hartlepool Extension Act, 1952, enables me to take action without a petition, and if necessary I shall do so. I think it would be preferable, however, for the Commissioner appointed to prepare a scheme to have a petition to work on in the usual way, and I have, therefore, extended the time within which the council must present their petition until 15th January, 1953.
§ Mr. JonesIs the right hon. and learned Gentleman aware that under those circumstances it is probable that the scheme will not be known until the middle of February at the earliest, which will leave very little time for arrangements to be made before the elections in May? It is far too short a time. Further, as the time has already been extended from 1st November to 10th December, and on three successive occasions the parties have failed to reach a conclusion, may I ask the right hon. and learned Gentleman why he does not now take action?
§ Sir D. Maxwell FyfeI will bear in mind the question of the May elections, but it is a very difficult matter to prepare a scheme without a preliminary petition from the local authority.
§ Mr. JonesIn view of the difficulty in reaching agreement and the different points of view of the two parties, may I ask whether it would be better if the inspector went there quite unbiased?
§ Sir D. Maxwell FyfeI will look into that point again.