HC Deb 24 May 1971 vol 818 cc18-9
20. Mr. John

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to seek to meet the Welsh Panel of the Commission on the Constitution.

Mr. Peter Thomas

None, Sir.

Mr. John

Does the right hon. and learned Gentleman accept that it would be worth while, in view of his meaningless assurance as to his consultation with Lord Crowther, to meet this panel to assess what it thinks of his local government proposals and anything that the panel may recommend?

Mr. Peter Thomas

As far as I can remember the hon. Gentleman's supplementary question on the previous occasion, I am afraid that he is under a misapprehension about the meeting which I had with the Chairman of the Commission. My meeting with Lord Crowther was entirely in the context of my proposals for the reorganisation of local government in Wales, and its purpose was simply to inform him of my intentions and to ensure that there were no objections from his standpoint to my going ahead.

Mr. Alan Williams

Would the right hon. and learned Gentleman indicate whether by "going ahead" he means merely publishing or actually implementing?

Mr. Peter Thomas

Lord Crowther fully accepted that it was undesirable to defer decisions on local government reform in Wales pending the report of his Commission. As the hon. Gentleman will remember, this was equally accepted and emphasised by the previous Government.

Mr. William Edwards

Is not the Secretary of State aware that in Wales we do things democratically? How is he sure that Lord Crowther holds exactly the same view as all the other members of his Commission?

Mr. Peter Thomas

I was not seeking the views of anyone except Lord Crowther. I was asking the Chairman of the Commission whether he saw any objection. It was the Government's intention, as it was that of the previous Administration, to go ahead with local government reorganisation without waiting for the Commission's report.

Back to