26. Mr. Edward M. Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will introduce legislation to establish regional offices in Scotland and appoint suitably qualified persons to investigate and report on complaints of injustice and unfair treatment against local authorities.
§ Mr. William RossNo, Sir.
Mr. TaylorIf there is a case for a Parliamentary Commissioner, is there not an even stronger case for having some kind of ombudsman to look into complaints against local authorities? If a local authority approaches him with a specific proposal, what attitude will the right hon. Gentleman adopt?
§ Mr. RossThe Government have already made clear that they will welcome experiments by local authorities in this connection, but we feel that it is better to leave it to them at the moment rather than race in with statutory obligations. If we want to go further along that line, it would be better to wait to see what comes out of the Royal Commission and consider whether, by that time, with the experience we have had of the Parliamentary Commissioner, we should extend it statutorily to local authorities.
§ Mr. ManuelWill my right hon. Friend turn his face against any suggestion, such as that contained in the Question, which would lower the dignity and integrity of our local authorities? Is he aware that the real corrective is local elections, which are usually dodged by hon. Members opposite in the areas where they exercise greatest control?
§ Mr. RossI agree with my hon. Friend to this extent, that there may well be exaggeration of the difficulties of getting satisfaction from local councillors or local government officers. However, we have to appreciate that it might well be to the benefit of local democracy to have this arrangement. My hon. Friend is fundamentally right—that the real barrier against local bureaucracy is healthy democracy.