§ Q3. Mr. Ridleyasked the Prime Minister if he will undertake to preserve the existing powers of local government at least until the Royal Commission's report has been received by Her Majesty's Government.
§ The Prime MinisterNo, Sir, the field of local authority work is so wide that a complete standstill would be neither practicable nor desirable. I can, however, assure the hon. Member that the fact that the Royal Commissions are at work will be fully taken into account in all Government decisions which affect local government powers in the interim.
§ Mr. RidleyIs the Prime Minister aware that the Minister of Housing and Local Government has been stopping housing authorities building houses by means of refusing loan sanction and housing subsidies? Will he at least reverse this decision so that housing authorities are free to build as many houses as they can until there is a change of Government?
§ The Prime MinisterMy right hon. Friend is authorising local authority house building programmes up to the limit of resources available. The number of houses started now is an all-time record in the country. I think it is the time factor which is different. The hon. Member should bear in mind that the previous Government restricted local authority house building.
§ Mr. MaxwellWill my right hon. Friend agree that the purchasing practices of local authorities, which spend about £3,000 million of taxpayers' money, leave much to be desired? Will he consider appointing a commission of inquiry or a committee to advise him on how the purchasing power of local authorities could be co-ordinated better to help to improve industrial efficiency and to save perhaps £150 million of the taxpayers' money?
§ The Prime MinisterI would not associate myself with any such estimate, but it is a fact that better co-ordination of local authority, and indeed, public purchasing, could be helpful in getting better standards and therefore greater industrial efficiency and also, I think, in 835 getting more orders placed in development areas. I am not certain that my hon. Friend's proposal is the best way to ensure it.
§ Mr. RipponWill the Prime Minister at least stop the proliferation of Ministerially appointed ad hoc bodies which are continually sapping regional and local authority?
§ The Prime MinisterIf the right hon. and learned Gentleman has any particular case in mind which he would like me to inquire into, I shall be glad to do so.
§ Mr. RipponTransport authorities.
§ The Prime MinisterI thought the House took a decision yesterday on transport authorities. This is in the interests of higher efficiency of transport, but the right hon. and learned Gentleman has probably a point at the back of his mind. When we can get the Report of the Royal Commission we shall have a clearer lead for the whole country both on regional questions and on local government.
§ Dr. WinstanleyIs the Prime Minister aware that many hon. Members think that we shall not be able effectively to tackle fire, crime, housing, even health, unless we speed up rather than delay amalgamation of many local authority services?
§ The Prime MinisterYes, this is a widely held view, and I think we should include in the list of subjects mentioned by the hon. Member transport and also planning—I mean planning on an area-wide basis—but it would be unfortunate to make a lot of decisions in the interim which would cut across the main recommendations.