§ Mr. Gardnerasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will set up a local inquiry to assess the benefits of dividing the local government area at present covered by the Basildon Urban 264W District Council in order to create two separate areas, one to include Billericay and Wickford, the other to include Basildon New Town.
§ Mr. CrossmanNo. I have no power to take the initiative in this way. I doubt, also, whether it would be desirable to make the change proposed in advance of the comprehensive review of local authority areas which the Local Government Commission and Essex County Council will need to carry out.