HC Deb 14 February 1973 vol 850 cc1262-3
5. Mr. James Lamond

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will announce the amount of the allowance which is to be paid to members of the new local government bodies.

The Minister for Local Government and Development (Mr. Graham Page)

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 31st January 1973 to a similar Question from the hon. Member for Newport (Mr. Roy Hughes).—[Vol. 849. c. 394–5.]

Mr. Lamond

Will the right hon. Gentleman take it that this matter, while not a deciding factor in candidates' minds, is none the less of great importance, and that it would be extremely helpful to them if he could remove the uncertainty about the future, and, in addition, set the level of the allowance sufficiently high to ensure that people do not lose money by becoming members of local authorities?

Mr. Page

As regards the timing of the announcement, this does not come into operation until 1st April 1974, but the deadline for first nominations for the elections this year is 20th March, I think, and I hope that we shall be able to make the announcement in good time before that, so that people may decide whether to stand. On the amount, I must ask the hon. Gentleman to wait. We have said throughout the Local Government Reorganisation Bill that it would be generous.