HC Deb 15 October 1996 vol 282 cc578-9
8. Dr. Wright

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the advantages of having elected mayors. [38357]

Mr. Curry

My Department received 600 responses to its consultation on the idea of locally-elected mayors. There were four favourable responses. Not a single London borough; not a single metropolitan council; not a single district council or for that matter a single county council was in favour.

Dr. Wright

Having spent 17 years trying to emasculate local government, could not the Government now take the opportunity to try to rejuvenate it? Why do they set their face against an idea that has the support of more than 70 per cent. of the population, or at least agree to some experiments? The Deputy Prime Minister was once enthusiastic about this idea, but that by itself is surely no reason for the Government to be against it.

Mr. Curry

I have just said that local government is against it. The Government have told local authorities that, if it is an area that they wish to explore, there is no reason why we should be hostile to it. When we consulted local government, it was clear that it was not interested. It was much more interested in the structure of committees. It was more interested, perhaps, in some form of cabinet system for local government. It was also more interested in the idea of a council manager. It was especially interested in councillors' allowances. It was not particularly interested in locally elected mayors.

Dame Elaine Kellett-Bowman

Could the candidates for mayoralty include those who are in favour of one type of school for their own children and another type for everyone else's?

Mr. Curry

I am sure that the bolt will have gone home, as it always does when it is fired by my hon. Friend.

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