HC Deb 11 March 1976 vol 907 cc759-60

Motion made and Question proposed,

That the Department of Housing, Local Government and Planning (Dissolution) (Northern Ireland) Order 1976, a draft of which was laid before this House on 24th February, be approved.—[Mr. Concannon.]

10.18 p.m.

Mr. John Biggs-Davison (Epping Forest)

I hope that it is in order to ask the Under-Secretary some questions about the proposed amalgamation of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Planning and the Department of the Environment, which will recreate the old Ministry of Development under the title Department of the Environment.

I understand that a second Department was brought into being largely in order to provide proper representation on the old Executive, so it is understandable that the Government should have introduced the Order tonight.

Is the Under-Secretary confident that, in creating this larger unit, efficiency will be improved and there will be good economy? There have been examples of departmental amalgamations which have spawned establishments and expenditure exceeding the sum of the establishments and expenditure of the previous separate Departments. This happened when the three Service Departments, and the old Ministry of Defence were merged into the Ministry of Defence. What is sometimes called streamlining has often been of a Parkinsonian order. Can the Minister assure us that there will be no increase in public expenditure as a result of this Order?

10.20 p.m.

The Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Mr. J. D. Concannon)

I thought it was for the convenience of the House if I moved the Order formally. If it was not, I apologise.

The administrative machinery in Northern Ireland is kept under constant review to ensure the most efficient use of resources, and it is as part of that continuing review that the Order is before the House tonight.

There is an inter-relationship in the functions carried out by both Departments in housing, water, sewerage, planning, and so on. There will be savings, but they will be relatively small both in manpower and finance. We are looking for greater efficiency and the streamlining of the administration.

I commend the Order to the House.

Question put and agreed to.