Local Government (Senior Staff) (Hansard, 26 February 1975)

§ 21. Mr. Snape
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set up an inquiry into the cost of local government reorganisation with particular regard to gradings and salaries of chief and senior officers.

§ Mr. Oakes
No, Sir. Local authorities are responsible for the grading and salaries of their staffs.

§ Mr. Snape
Is my hon. Friend aware that ratepayers do not share his complacency on this matter? Does he not agree that it would be better to prove the point which I seek to make by setting up a nationwide inquiry so that the chief and senior officers throughout the country whose salaries are in excess of that paid to the Secretary of State for the Environment could at least attempt to justify the income which they now receive?

§ Mr. Oakes
My hon. Friend talks about the salaries of chief and senior officers. Top salaries are due for a special review in 1975. Undertakings were given in various negotiating bodies that top salaries for personnel in reorganised local government, the National Health Service and water authorities would be reviewed by April 1975 in the light of the experience of the new posts.

§ Mr. Stephen Ross
Will the Minister look back at the Official Report of 13th February in which there appears a very good debate on this subject? In that debate the Liberals also asked for an 489 inquiry. I draw attention to some staggering figures—

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. The hon. Gentleman must ask a question.

§ Mr. Ross
Will the Minister look into the situation of the regional water authorities, over which he has some control, since rates in one town in my constituency have risen by 974 per cent. in respect of sewerage services?

§ Mr. Oakes
I am aware of the concern expressed about the increase in water rates. I would tell the House—I do not blame the hon. Gentleman—that many of the difficulties in regard to the regional water authorities were caused by their creation and the way in which they were created by our predecessors. The rates charged by regional water authorities are subject to control, and the question of salaries and expenditure is under constant review.