HC Deb 06 May 1958 vol 587 cc1124-5

8.15 p.m.

Mr. Bevins

I beg to move, in page 18, line 34, to leave out from "subsection" to "and" in line 35 and to insert: an objection is made by any local authority, parish council or police authority concerned This is a minor Amendment. Under the Clause as it stands, the Commission's final proposals as submitted to the Minister and made public by him can be objected to by anyone, but only the objections of either a local authority or of a police authority would normally lead to an inquiry. It so happens that the definition of a local authority as it refers to this part of the Bill does not include a parish council. Therefore, theoretically, the objection of a parish council could be dealt with without a public inquiry. This Amendment seeks to put the position right.

Mr. Wheeldon

In Standing Committee, we discussed the reference to a police authority which is contained in the Amendment. It is rather late in the day now to suggest an alteration. Nevertheless, we have made our protest in Committee and I repeat it now. I see no reason why a police authority should be included as one of the bodies to which reference should be made in regard to these proposals. Public opinion generally is to be consulted and apart from that, the local authorities, in terms of either county councils, parish councils or whatever other bodies the local authorities might be, cover the complete field. There is no justification for including a police authority in the Amendment.

Mr. Ede

When we discussed this matter in Committee upstairs, I joined with the hon. Member for Harrogate (Mr. Ramsden) in asking that parish councils should be included. On behalf of the National Association of Parish Councils and those of us who are interested in the matter, I thank the Parliamentary Secretary for bringing forward that part of the Amendment.

Otherwise, I agree with the comments made by my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Small Heath (Mr. Wheeldon). I cannot understand why that amazing anachronism, the Standing Joint Committee, should be included among the people who are to be asked to express their views on this matter. In the reorganisations that we are making, we are not dealing with a criminal population, but with ordinary, honest, law-abiding citizens.

Amendment agreed to.

Clause, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.