§ Mr. Jenningsasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs when he expects to receive recommendations from the Local Government Commission for England; and what action he proposes to take on them.
§ Mr. H. BrookeNo reports or recommendations from the Local Government Commission for England have yet reached me. The Commission's work is furthest advanced in the Midlands, where I understand that they are still engaged on the conferences which under the Local Government Act, 1958, they are required to hold with the local authorities and other public authorities and bodies concerned, before they submit any reports or recommendations to me. The draft proposals the Commission have so far published and are now discussing with the local authorities are of course provisional only and have no final validity. I do not expect the Commission to be in a position to submit any specific recommendations to me before the end of the year.
When they reach me, the Act requires that they must be publicly advertised, and time must be given for representations and objections to be sent in to me. If objections are lodged by any of the local authorities concerned, I shall normally hold a local public inquiry. It is only after receiving and considering the report of a public inquiry that it will fall to me to decide what orders, if any, to make and lay before Parliament.