HC Deb 07 April 1970 vol 799 cc235-6
23. Mr. Roy Hughes

asked the Secretary of State for Local Government and Regional Planning if he will now introduce legislation to provide for the appointment of Parliamentary Commissioners to investigate complaints of maladministration in the sphere of local government along the lines recommended in Command Paper No. 4276.

Mr. Crosland

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave him on 29th January. Now that the White Paper on Local Government Reorganisation has been published, the next step is to work out the details of the scheme with the local authority associations. Consultations for this purpose will start shortly. —[Vol. 794, c. 414.]

Mr. Hughes

Does not my right hon. Friend think that some form of ombudsman in local government is becoming ever more necessary, particularly as so many local authorities have fallen under the control of the Conservative Party? Will he consider implementation of this matter as one of urgency?

Mr. Crosland

I agree that the need is becoming more urgent, no doubt among other reasons for the reasons my hon. Friend has given. We propose to push on with consultations as rapidly as we can.

Sir Harmar Nicholls

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the blatant electioneering that has gone on during the whole of this Question Time is a complete waste of time—that it has wasted the time of those who prepared the Answers and those who have had to listen? Will he improve the standard and be more objective?

Mr. Crosland

Perhaps that is a matter for you, Mr. Speaker, rather than for me. All I can say is that the standards of questions and answers, particularly of answers, has been consistently higher than the standard of the party political broadcast given last night.