HL Deb 26 May 1977 vol 383 cc1427-8

11.28 a.m.

Baroness MACLEOD of BORVE

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will reconsider their decision not to give Jubilee Medals to outgoing chairmen and mayors of local authorities.

Baroness STEDMAN

My Lords, in England Silver Jubilee Medals are being awarded to the heads of county and district councils, not as a reward for an individual's effort on Jubilee matters, but in recognition of the work of local authorities on behalf of their communities. It is thus more an award to the council in the person of its Lord Mayor, mayor or chairman than a reward to an individual. The 7th of June was chosen as the relevant date because this is the official Jubilee celebration day.

Baroness MACLEOD of BORVE

My Lords, I thank the Minister for her reply and express disappointment at it. May I draw her attention to the fact that Jubilee Medals will be highly prized, and that there are certainly, to my knowledge, many chairmen and mayors of boroughs within Greater London who are deeply disappointed that, after a great deal of work on behalf of their boroughs, they are to be excluded because they relinquished their offices quite recently, on the appointment of another person to take their place—after having done a year's work, at least, and probably more?

Baroness STEDMAN

My Lords, I am sure that there will be disappointment in some fields, but the arrangements seemed to be the fairest to all concerned. So far as complaints about what we have done are concerned, my Department has received fewer than 20 letters from local authorities and their associations, and some of these have later expressed themselves as satisfied when the basis of distribution has been explained to them. It is impossible to please everybody, but it seems that the arrangements have the tacit support of the vast majority of the councils concerned.

Baroness MACLEOD of BORVE

My Lords, may I ask the noble Baroness if she could answer the actual Question: whether the Government will reconsider this?

Baroness STEDMAN

My Lords, we have no opportunity of reconsidering. There is an allocation of medals and those medals have been allocated.