HC Deb 03 July 1969 vol 786 cc641-2
Q6. Mr. John Fraser

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement about the Ministerial responsibilities for answering Questions on the various recommendations of the Royal Commission on Local Government in England (Command Paper No. 4040).

The Prime Minister

Questions about the various recommendations in the report will be answered by the appropriate Ministers with statutory responsibilities. As I said in my statement on 11th June, general consultations with the local authority associations and other bodies are being conducted by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Housing and Local Government and questions about these consultations should be addressed to him.

Mr. Fraser

Can my right hon. Friend say who will give consideration to the possibility of provincial councils, if created, being directly elected? Second, who will give consideration to the proposition that certain bodies like the Port of London Authority, hospital management committees and regional management committees, which are at present appointed and not elected, should have their functions transferred to unitary or regional councils?

The Prime Minister

Any matters affecting the Health Service are for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services, and the Government have announced the intention to make a statement about the future organisation following the Seebohm Report before the House goes up, I hope, later this month. As for provincial councils and all the main structural recommendations in the report, the negotiations with the local authorities in England will be carried out by my right hon. Friend.

Mr. Bessell

Can the Prime Minister assure us that the representations which will be made to his right hon. Friend by the county of Cornwall will be fully considered and accepted? Is he aware that the proposals of the Redcliffe-Maud Commission are rejected and resented by the vast majority of people in that county?

The Prime Minister

I can give an assurance that they will be fully considered. As to accepting them, it depends on what they are and all the other considerations which will have to be taken into account.

Mr. William Hamilton

Am I right in recollecting that my right hon. Friend, when he made his announcement about the Commission, said that the Minister without Portfolio would be conducting the discussions with the local authority organisations? If that recollection is right, will my right hon. Friend say why the Minister without Portfolio should not answer Questions in this House on the propositions put forward?

The Prime Minister

In the interest or allowing the hon. Member for Banbury (Mr. Marten) to put Question No. 7, I will answer that briefly. That is not what I said, Sir, when I made my announcement about the Commission.