§ Mr. LANE-FOXasked the Minister of Health whether he will publish the Report, or at any rate the main recommendations, of the Consultative Committee to whom he recently referred the question of the cost to local authorities of appearing before local inquiries in the matter of county borough extensions?
§ Dr. ADDISONSince the receipt of the Report referred to, I have issued revised instructions, of which I will send the hon. Member copies, with a view to simplifying and cheapening the procedure. In these circumstances I scarcely think it is necessary to publish the Report.
§ Mr. LANE-FOXasked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the great and wasteful expense to local authorities of presenting and opposing schemes of county borough extension before a local inquiry, and in view of the overwhelming opposition shown by the local authorities in the area included in the proposed extensions of Leeds and Bradford to such inclusion, he will postpone the granting of any inquiry into these proposals until some indication has reached him of the desire of the ratepayers in the areas affected to accept the proposed change?
§ Dr. ADDISONThe provisions of Section 54 of the Local Government Act, 1888, under which applications are made for the extension of county boroughs, require me to cause a local inquiry to be held unless for special reasons I consider that the application ought not to be entertained. This case does not appear to present any special features and I have no power to adopt the course suggested.