Mr. Chapmanasked the Secretary of State for Scotland why classification as a new large burgh under Section 77 (1) and (2) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act, 1929, is being withheld by his Department from any burgh with a population of large burgh size which may be created now under the Burgh Police (Scotland) Acts where the population was adequate in 1921, where during the period such a burgh would be a populous place in the terms of Section 4 (26) of the Burgh Police (Scotland) Act, 1892, and where such a populous place is classified as a burgh under Section 4 (4) of the same Burgh Police Act when brought under that Act?
§ Mr. ElliotI have no administrative power to grant the status of a "large burgh" within the meaning of the Local Government (Scotland) Act, 1929, to any burgh with a population of 20,000 or upwards, that may be created under the Burgh Police (Scotland) Acts. As explained in my reply to the hon. Member of 11th March last, this could not be effected except by legislation.