HC Deb 16 October 1969 vol 788 cc589-90
22. Mr. Speed

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the probation services and police forces that have merged since the publication of the Redcliffe-Maud Report or are at present proposed for merger.

The Joint Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. Elystan Morgan)

I will, with permission, circulate the list relating to England in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Mr. Speed

In view of the Home Secretary's remarks earlier this week about proposed local government reorganisation, is it not rather odd that these mergers should be going through when they may have to be unscrambled in two or three years' time?

Mr. Morgan

Unlike the statutory requirements relating to parliamentary boundary changes, in the law relating to these matters there is no specific mention of coincidence with local government boundaries.

Following is the list:

Probation and after-care areas

  1. 1. Cheshire and Birkenhead were combined on 1st August, 1969.
    2. 590
  2. 2. Proposals for the combination of Warwickshire and Coventry have been suspended for the time being.
  3. 3. There have been exploratory discussions about the possible combination of Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire.

Police Areas

Warwickshire and Coventry were combined on 1st October, 1969.