DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND PLANNING (DISSOLUTION) (NORTHERN IRELAND) ORDER 1976 (Hansard, 9 March 1976)

§ Lord DONALDSON of KINGS-BRIDGE

My Lords, I beg to move that the draft Department of Housing, Local Government and Planning (Dissolution) (Northern Ireland) Order 1976, a draft of which was laid before the House on 25th February, be approved. My right honourable friend the Secretary of State announced on 29th January in another place the intention to merge the Northern Ireland Department of Housing, Local Government and Planning, with the Northern Ireland Department of the Environment from 1st April 1976. This draft order seeks to give legislative effect to that announcement.

There is an inter-relationship of the functions carried out by both Departments and it has been concluded that their amalgamation will achieve more effective co-ordination of services and a saving of resources. Before the 1st January 1974 all the functions of the Department of Housing. Local Government and Planning and the Department of the Environment were exercisable by the Ministry of Development. By merging the two Departments, this order, in effect, brings together again all the functions of the Ministry of Development and makes them exercisable by the Department of the Environment.

Article 3 provides for the dissolution of the Department of Housing. Local Government and Planning and for the 1235 transfer of its functions, assets and liabilities to the Department of the Environment, and the transfer of the functions of the Head of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Planning to the Head of the Department of the Environment.

Article 4 makes the necessary adaptation of references to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Planning in legislation, judgments, contracts and other documents, safeguards things previously done by that Department, provides for the continuance of things commenced by it and provides for the substitution of the Department of the Environment in pending proceedings. Finally Article 5 provides for the repeal and revocation of enactments. A merger of this nature is to be welcomed as part of the general revision in the interests of efficiency and streamlining of administration and I commend the order to the House. My Lords, I beg to move.