HC Deb 02 May 1963 vol 676 cc1297-8
23. Sir E. Leather

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs the total cost, including travel, printing, maps, fees, etc., for producing Report No. 4 of the Local Government Commission for England.

The Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs (Sir Keith Joseph)

The cost of printing the Local Government Commission's Report No. 4 and the definitive maps which accompanied it was £2,377.

As the Local Government Commission is engaged on several reviews at the same time, I regret it is not possible to identify the cost of the review which preceded this Report.

Sir E. Leather

I thank my right hon. Friend for those figures. Is he aware that the many thousands of people in the County of Somerset who are affected by these proposals and all the local authorities—the county council, all the district councils and all the parish councils—are unanimously and strenuously opposed to these recommendations? Will he give the House an assurance that it is no part of his policy to force administrative changes on people who neither need them nor want them?

Sir K. Joseph

As my hon. Friend knows, a very precise procedure is laid down by Parliament for the conduct of these local government reviews, and I shall follow that procedure. I know that my hon. Friend is raising the matter on the Adjournment on Monday when, perhaps, we can look into it more fully.

Sir E. Leather

I am well aware of the point which my right hon. Friend makes about the procedure. What I am concerned about is policy. Will he give us an assurance about his feelings on this very important matter?

Sir K. Joseph

My policy is laid down for me by the Statute which lays down the considerations that have to be borne in mind by the Minister and by the Government of the day.

Mr. M. Stewart

Will the Minister explain to the hon. Member for Somerset, North (Sir E. Leather) that it is the Government's policy to force administrative changes on people against their will? The hon. Gentleman himself assisted them in doing so with regard to London.